By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
Kwara Government is building two Stadia in Lafiagi and Offa to cater for both Kwara North and South regions for the first time in the 58 years old State,
The Executive Chairman of the State Sports Commission, Coach Bola Magaji made this known un an interview with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Magaji who was fielding questions on the State’ Sports sector in the Chapel’s programme to assess government service in Kwara praised Governor AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman for giving Sports development good attention like never before.
According to him, the Ilorin Township Stadium is about the only one in the country that have facilities to house all sports except Golf game lamenting the stadium had in the past suffered serious negligence until the Governor came to power few years ago to save the ugly situation.
The Sports Commission Chairman said for instance, Ilorin Stadium has courts for all sports unlike Abuja where there are packages A and B where other sports can be played.
He cited the renovation of Pa Gabriel Ladapo indoor Sports hall which costs the government over N2 billion at the instance of the governor.
According to him the state government has also invested in the football field, tennis court, squash court, among others saying; “not many sectors have enjoyed much support on sports like the present administration in the last six years.
“The state government has put in place a legacy that cost anybody who wanted to beat it diligent hard work.
Magaji added; ” government is extending investments beyond the city-centre with ongoing reconstruction of Offa and Lafiagi stadia in the southern and northern senatorial districts in order to create a more inclusive sports ecosystem.
”His Excellency has done a lot for us here. Right from the road, the field, the buildings and the paintings. He did not only do that; a lot of our athletes have been sponsored to travel outside this country.
“There was a six-year-old boy from Offa who has done wonderfully well. You can imagine a six-year-old boy went to play Scrabble in Nigeria and he won among 180 other athletes. That’s not going to be possible if not what the governor has done.
Meanwhile, Managing Director of Urban Nexus Limited Consultant, Arch. Abdulmajeed Mustapha has given assurance that Face.1 of the ongoing Offa Sports Stadium would be completed in six months”.
According to him, the stadium is 3000 capacity which would match any standard stadium with best facilities.
“We are aiming towards completing a standard stadium with standard sporting facilities like football pitch, indoor sport gym, volleyball, basketball ball and track events and others. It will also allow multipurpose events like get together, meetings, cultural displays” the contractor promised.