Minna – The Niger chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Wednesday called on the state government to urgently rehabilitate the Bako Kontagora Memorial Stadium in Minna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the call is contained in a communique issued at the end of the association’s congress on Wednesday in Minna.
The communiqué signed by Hameed Salawu and Suleiman Isah, Chairman and Secretary of the Communiqué Drafting Committee respectively, stated that this would be of economic benefit to the state.
It said further that this would enable the state-owned football clubside, Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna, and visiting clubs have the full complement of the facilities in the stadium.
Niger SWAN decried the situation where the state-owned clubside was playing its home matches outside the state “just because the stadium did not meet the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) standard’’.
It said in the communiqué that it was unanimously agreed that the club’s fortunes would be positively enhanced in their campaign in the ongoing 2015/2016 NPFL.
“The congress appeals to the Niger state government, as a matter of urgency, to do everything within its power to bring the state’s club back to its home base, the Bako Kontagora Memorial Stadium in Minna.’’
The sports writing body pointed out that the club’s numerous home supporters would greatly benefit from the team’s playing at home instead of Lokoja, which is its current base.
NAN recalls that the state governor, Abubakar Bello, recently approved N31 million for the renovation of the stadium to meet the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) standard.
Of recent, Mamman Musa, the state’s Commissioner for Sports Development, had offered an explanation for the current state of the stadium.
He told NAN that the non-passage of the state appropriation bill by the House of Assembly was responsible for government’s inability to commence rehabilitation work on the stadium.
Niger SWAN, in the communiqué, also commended the state government for its efforts in the development of sports generally.
It specifically lauded government’s support for the Niger Potters Basketball Club of Minna in the Savannah Conference of the ongoing DStv Men’s Premier Basketball League.(NAN)