By TheDispatch
Three years after Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State used N5.5bn for remodelling of Lekan Salami Stadium, the football pitch has been declared unfit to host Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matches.
The pronouncement was made in a statement issued by the league board on Thursday via its official website.
This is coming barely three years after the stadium was rehabilitated by the Oyo State Government under the leadership of Seyi Makinde and handed to the state-owned football club, Shooting Stars (3SC).
3SC was named alongside six other affected clubs, including Sunshine Stars of Akure, Plateau United of Jos, and Kwara United of Ilorin.
Others are Abia Warriors of Aba, Niger Tornadoes of Minna, and newly promoted El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.
“Also included are Niger Tornadoes, Plateau United, and the newly promoted El-Kanemi Warriors.
“They were ordered to upgrade their playing turf or face the prospect of playing on alternative grounds.”
In 2020, Oyo government under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde awarded the contract for the remodelling of Lekan Salami Stadium which gulped N5.5bn.
The Governor during the flag-off, held at the main bowl of the stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, noted that the event was a step in the right direction, positioning the state to attract investments.
He added that his administration would double its efforts to put the infrastructure in place that would support the growth of IGR in the state, adding that he would create an avenue for everyone to feel the real dividends of democracy.
The governor stated further: “Experts all over the world have predicted that there would be a period of economic hardship post-COVID-19.”
“In fact, if you have been following the news, you would have heard about a few countries that are already heading towards a recession. So, this is the right time to make decisions that will cushion the effect of the pandemic on our economy. We must double our efforts to put the infrastructure in place that will support the growth of IGR in the state.”
“And this is why we are here today, to flag-off the remodelling of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Ibadan. This is another step in the right direction, positioning Oyo State to attract investments. I hear some people are already saying we should slow down.”
“But I am here to tell you that this is not the time to even think of slowing down. Our administration is here to grow Oyo State and to make sure everyone in our beloved state feels the real dividends of democracy.”
“Oyo State has had a rich sporting history. Back in 1963, the first World Boxing title fight in Africa was held here in Oyo State. We were able to host that fight and benefit from all the tourism revenue because we had the facilities to do so. And so, we are remodelling this sports complex now, so we can to reap the benefits in IGR. If there was a call for cities to host a national sporting event today, can Oyo State boast of having the facilities?”
“The total contract sum for the remodelling of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex is Five Billion Five Hundred and Eighty Million, One Thousand One Hundred and Fifty-One Naira, Sixty-Two Kobo (₦5,580,001,151:62k). This project will be funded using the Alternate Project Funding Approach (APFA). The contractor will use his own money to fund the project and then we will repay over 29 months.”
The contractors, Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd, have given us the assurance that the project will be completed in 18 months. By God’s grace, in the next 12 months, Coronavirus would have left us, and we will have the opportunity to sit here, in this stadium, fully remodelled and watch my team the 3SC beat their opponents, live!”
The governor emphasised that no investor could be attracted without the right infrastructure, noting that: “If we are telling people to leave wherever they are and come here, we should be able to give them what they are benefiting there and even more.”
We can keep saying Oyo State is ready for business, but without the right infrastructure in place, they will tell us they like our policies, but they want to see better facilities.”
“So, we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that whenever investors come calling, we are ready to receive them and make them stay. That means matching our policies with action.”
“We have already told them there will be no multiple taxations and that we will not wake up and impose random taxes on them, they can see that is true. We have also promised that they will not spend hours in traffic, we are keeping our promise by investing in road construction and rehabilitation.”
“We also have to match the tourism and recreational facilities that they have in other places,” Makinde posited.