The Nasarawa State Government is currently in talks with a reputable Abuja-based organisation, CENTARC Design Associates Limited, aimed at overhauling the Lafia City Stadium.
A team of experts from the organization led by Architect Gambo Ahmadu, was in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Tuesday, to inspect the stadium facilities and recommend the appropriate short and long term measures to bring it to international standard.
Permanent Secretary of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Dr Ibrahim Adamu Alhassan, who represented the Honourable Commissioner of the Ministry, Hon Kwanta Yakubu, took the delegation round the various facilities of the stadium.
“Governor Abdullahi Sule has so much passion for sports, particularly football.
“This visit is necessitated by the earnest desire of the governor for the state to have a state-of-the-art sports stadium that can support the advancement of sports and talents.
“He no longer desires to see the facility undergo temporary repairs, so, he has directed for a total overhaul of the stadium facilities so it can meet both national and international standards, where national and international events can take place here.
“He wants a once-and-for-all job done where the state won’t have to effect any further repair on the stadium again for the next 15 to 20 years – only maintenance activities can take place.
“Nasarawa State is strategically located, particularly to Abuja where the National Stadium is located. So, once the pressure is much in Abuja, or there is the need to gravitate to a nearby location, the Lafia City Stadium could be an important alternative.
“We are hoping that this new partnership with this organization which has a rich curriculum vitae in the subject matter will end up benefitting all the parties involved.
“We have spoken with this potential contractor, and we have requested him to present his quotation in two formats: one is to present the total cost of renovating the stadium, and the other is to present a bill for the construction of a brand new stadium in the capital City other than the Lafia City Stadium. We will weigh our options and choose the one that is more affordable and doable, both in the short and long terms.
“However, we trust the capacity and commitment of the governor to be able to achieve any of the two in a considerable period just like he did with the Lafia Over and Under-passes.
“Remember also that the government has been harping on seeing our two Premier League teams participate in continental football, so, by putting our facilities in order, it will be much easier to achieve that, in as much as we want our teams to play their home league matches at the Lafia City Stadium,” the permanent secretary remarked.
Speaking earlier, leader of the delegation for CENTARC Design Associates Limited, Arch Gambo, said his company deals in architectural, planning, project management, and consultancy, and has carried out major sporting infrastructural constructions and maintenance across the country, including the Pantami Stadium, Gombe, Kebbi Stadium, and Sokoto Stadium.
“Let me thank the governor for seeking our audience regarding the Lafia City Stadium.
“I am a consultant to FIFA in Nigeria and have been in the business of sports facilities development for nearly three decades now.
“Upon the directive of the governor, we are here to assess the stadium with a view to overhauling it and make it meet the required status.
“We have gone round the facilities and have been adequately briefed by the permanent secretary on what is required of us to do, so, we will come back with our recommendations accordingly, particularly with regards to short and long term considerations to ensure that the facility isn’t just for local use, but for national and international competitions,” Architect Gambo stated.
Joining the permanent secretary to receive the delegation were Chairman of Nasarawa United, Solomon Babanjah; Aide to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Youth Development, Comrade Akashe Abdullahi Ari, and a handful of senior staff of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.