Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured that the state is fully prepared to host the maiden National Intermediate Sports Festival, with ongoing rehabilitation and upgrading of sporting facilities expected to be completed ahead of the October 1–15 competition.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance on Saturday after inspecting facilities at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, as part of preparations for the national sporting event.
The Governor said Lagos had about 60 days to put the finishing touches to the facilities and ensure they meet international standards before an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 young athletes from across the country arrive for the competition.
“We have only about 60 days to ensure that everything that we are doing will be put to international standards. We believe that we will be there and we will do it,” he said.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the National Sports Commission selected Lagos as host of the inaugural festival about two months ago, prompting the state government to accelerate ongoing work on its sporting infrastructure.
He said the competition would provide an important platform for strengthening grassroots sports development, discovering young talents and creating opportunities for athletes who might otherwise seek opportunities outside the country.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that several sporting facilities across Lagos would be deployed for the competition, adding that the state had commenced a strategic rehabilitation programme covering about 10 stadia across the state about three years ago.
He listed Surulere, Ifako, Badagry, Epe, Agege and Ikorodu among locations covered by the programme, saying the initiative was designed to rebuild, rehabilitate and upgrade sports facilities across Lagos.
At the Teslim Balogun Stadium, the governor inspected the main football and athletics arena, indoor sports facilities, volleyball court and swimming pool, among others.
He said the main football pitch was being upgraded to FIFA standards and would rank among the best in the country when completed.
“The main football pitch is a FIFA-graded one and, from what I am told, will be number two in the country. It is natural grass, and they have laid the grass. The wet ring and tartan track will also be completed within the next four to six weeks,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that extensive renovation was ongoing at the indoor sports hall, including the installation of roofing, seats, flooring and air-conditioning facilities.
He, however, identified the swimming pool as one of the areas requiring urgent attention ahead of the games, assuring that it would be ready for the competition.
“We will need to very quickly activate the swimming pool. I can assure you that it will be ready for that competition,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor noted that the Olympic-sized swimming pool at the Rowe Park Sports Centre was also available for the event, but stressed that the larger facility at Teslim Balogun Stadium would be upgraded and put to use.
He said the state government was working with contractors to ensure that all facilities were competition-ready, adding that the remaining tasks included extensive cleaning, landscaping and general preparation of the stadium environment.
Sanwo-Olu expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the stadium and commended the contractors for remaining on site and working towards the deadline.
“What we need to do now is to completely clean up the entire area, make sure that it is sports-ready and competition-ready, and that it can host the national sports competition,” he said.
He added that the state would continue to monitor the projects closely, promising to return to the stadium within the next three to four weeks to assess the level of preparedness.
The governor said Lagos was determined not only to successfully host the maiden National Intermediate Sports Festival but also to use the event to deepen grassroots sports development and create opportunities for young athletes to build careers in sports.
According to him, the state accepted the hosting responsibility because of its commitment to nurturing young talents and providing them with platforms to develop their abilities.
Sanwo-Olu said the initiative had become particularly important at a time when many young Nigerians were seeking opportunities abroad.
“We want to hold grassroots sports. We want to encourage the young people before they begin to ‘japa’ and run away, hold them and be able to develop them,” he said.
The governor expressed optimism that the inaugural National Intermediate Sports Festival would rank among the best sporting competitions ever hosted in Nigeria.
He also urged stakeholders and the media to continue supporting the state as it finalises preparations for the October games.
Source: Sports Archives – New Telegraph
