Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, on Saturday visited the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, in continuation of his tour of sporting facilities and visit to team Nigeria athletes preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, vowing to remove all illegal structures at the complex.
Worried by the deplorable state of the facilities, the Minister vowed that all illegal structures at the stadium will be taken off just as was done with the Surulere National Stadium, Lagos and Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
He appealed to private investors in the country to take advantage of the public-private partnership of the government by turning most of the hostels into hotels to generate revenue for the government and the investors.
The HM @SundayDareSD paid a working visit to the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, to inspect some facilities, this morning. He later joined some excited youth basketballers for an exciting shoot-around. @NigeriaFMYS, @GbengaGOLD pic.twitter.com/hB22hpOzvt
— Biodun Owoborode, FNIA. (@OwoborodeBiodun) March 6, 2021
The non-functional hostel is a source of worry we plan to clear these illegal structures and turn the hostels into hotels.”
Earlier during his tour, the minister visited two Olympic-bound Athletes Lawal Rufiyat Folashade and Liadi Taiwo, admonishing them to do their best by putting up a befitting performance at the games.
The athletes expressed appreciation to the Minister for the cash incentive which they said would be a big morale booster to their preparation.