By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has declared the state ready to host the maiden National Intermediate Sports Festival, assuring that ongoing rehabilitation and upgrade of sporting facilities across the state will be completed ahead of the competition slated for October 1-15.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance on Saturday after inspecting sporting facilities at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, as part of preparations for the national competition scheduled to hold in October.
The governor said the state had about 60 days to put finishing touches to the facilities and ensure that they meet international standards before thousands of young athletes arrive in Lagos for the competition.
According to him, Lagos was selected by the National Sports Commission as the host of the inaugural National Intermediate Sports Festival about two months ago, prompting the state government to intensify work on its sporting infrastructure.
He said the competition would provide an opportunity to strengthen grassroots sports development and discover young talents before they are lost to other countries.
Sanwo-Olu said, “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 disclosed that about 14,000 to 15,000 athletes from across the country were expected to participate in the competition, noting that several sporting facilities across Lagos would be used to host the events.
The governor said the state had, about three years ago, embarked on a strategic rehabilitation programme covering about 10 stadia in different parts of Lagos.
He listed some of the locations as Surulere, Ifako, Badagry, Epe, Agege, and Ikorodu, among others, saying the initiative was aimed at rebuilding and upgrading sports facilities across the state.
At the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Sanwo-Olu inspected the main football and athletics arena, indoor sports facilities, volleyball court and swimming pool, among other facilities.
He said the main football pitch was being upgraded to FIFA standards and would become one of the best football pitches 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.
The governor 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 competition, assuring that it would be ready for the games.
“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.
He noted that the Olympic-sized swimming pool at the Rowe Park Sports Centre was also available for the competition, but stressed that the larger swimming facility at Teslim Balogun Stadium would be upgraded and put into use.
The governor said the state government was working with contractors to ensure that all facilities were competition-ready, adding that the remaining work included extensive cleaning, landscaping and general preparation of the stadium environment.
Sanwo-Olu expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the stadium, commending the contractors for remaining on site and working to meet 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 in the next three to four weeks to assess the next stage 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.
He said the state accepted the hosting responsibility because of its commitment to nurturing young talents and providing them with platforms to develop their sporting careers.
According to him, the initiative is particularly important at a time when many young Nigerians are 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.
Sanwo-Olu expressed optimism that the inaugural edition of the National Intermediate Sports Festival would be one of the best sporting competitions ever hosted in the country.
He urged stakeholders and the media to continue to support Lagos as the state puts its facilities and logistics in place for the October games.
(The Sun)