Kwara gov under attack over sports hall

Success Nwogu, Ilorin

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has come under criticism following his decision to omit the renovation of the indoor sports hall of the Kwara Stadium in Ilorin from the list of the projects the state has decided to spend its N5.12bn second tranche of the Paris Club refund from the Federal Government on.

Ahmed has been under pressure from sports stakeholders within and outside the state to fix the multi-million naira facility, which has been rotting away.

The state has been beset by money troubles with the government unable to pay pensioners and workers.

But the governor has said he will pay teachers, health workers and pensioners, as well as employees of the state-owned tertiary institutions with the Paris Club refund.

Ahmed’s announcement that the state government had stepped down plans to fix the dilapidated Kwara Stadium Indoor Sports Hall sparked criticism in the state on Wednesday.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Governor, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said in a statement the indoor sports hall was among the projects the governor stepped down to provide additional N1bn for the payment of local government workers, especially the State Universal Basic Education Board’s employees.

However, sports stakeholders in the state, who spoke to our correspondent on the development, condemned the governor’s decision to go back on an earlier promise to renovate the indoor sports hall.

They urged Ahmed to have a change of mind and renovate the facility which is in a sorry state.

Bibire Abdulwaheed, who is the Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria in the state, expressed shock at the state government’s decision.

He said, “If it (indoor sports hall) is now stepped down, it is demoralising. In fact, I’m short of words to convey my feelings considering the number of events that go on in that place and the revenue that could accrue for hosting national and international competitions.

“Yes, the reason the governor gave for stepping down the project is genuine, but I want to implore him to look inwards, particularly the Kwara Infrastructure Financing model they are using to make sure that indoor sports hall see the light of day.

“It is not going to be a project that will be beneficial to the people of Kwara State alone. In fact, sports lovers generally.”

Abdulwaheed added, “It will score the current administration high when we are recounting the history of the stadium that Governor Ahmed renovated the indoor sports hall. This is our wish.”

Sports enthusiasts Alhaji Sanni Jimoh, Mr. Jude Aku, Miss Tope Ajayi and Alhaja Falilat Atanda, who also spoke to our correspondent on the issue, criticised the state governor’s decision to abandon the indoor sports hall.

They appealed to the governor not to abandon the project, adding that the sports hall would aid sports development in the state if it is renovated.

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