Exclusive: Gov Mbah To Privatize Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium After Renovation

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As a believer in private sector driven economy, checks by African Examiner Sports have revealed that plans are afoot by the governor Peter Mbah led Enugu state  government to complete the near abandoned  25,000 capacity Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu, with a view to concensioning  the facility.

Recalled that the immediate past administration of former governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, had towards the tail end of the government awarded the contract for renovation of the dilapidated stadium to an indigenous firm, Reform sports west Africa limited, which was allegedly paid the sum of 185 million naira by the government without any meaningful job done in the facility.

The Enugu state government took over the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium from the federal government in 2013, during the tenure of ex- governor Sullivan Iheanacho.

Since after the state government took over the multi million naira sporting centre it has been in a terrible mess, as it has failed to carry out any major renovation work at the Stadium, populary known as” “the Cathedral” especially the pitch, (mainbowl)

The zero maintainance culture at the Stadium by successive adminitrations in the state has turned the facility into safe and comfort zone for reptiles and rodents which now occupies  the VIP and popular stands.

The man made ugly development at the Stadium  made organizers of the then Nigeria professional football league, NPFL to move Rangers Int’l FC which use to execute their home matches at the facility to Awka stadium, in Anambra state, making the Flying Antelope to be playing their home games.

African Examiner Sports reliably gathered that Governor Mbah, is thinking in the direction of handing over the stadium to a private handler after its total  renovation.

A source close to government quarters who crave anonimity told our correspondent that “the governor is not happy with the current poor state of the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, and may likely privatize it, so that it will start yielding revenue for the state.

“The state government has been loosing millions of naira since the facility was abandoned by the immediate past administration.

“You know for the state to realize the governor’s quest of raising the states’s GDP from 4 to 30 billion, all morribund revenue avenues in the state must be fully activated”

Newly appointed Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state, Barr. Loylyd Ekweremadu, had recently toured the stadium with a view to getting first hand information about its true state.

Speaking with Sports Writers at the end of the tour he said “this my maiden inspection tour of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium is to determine the state of the stadium, and we all saw it. We have seen the facility and state of repair in certain aspect.

“Today we have assessed the whole place and seen that there is work to be done in the stadium. We will go back with our team and deliberate on the actual work to be done, from the dressing rooms to the seats around the stadium, bathrooms, roofing, infact, we found out that there was some vandalisation in some aspects particularly the flood light and armored cables.

“The government of Gov Peter Mbah is committed to the rehabilitation of sports facilities in Enugu State and Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium is our flag off facility to be rehabilitated. I mean a building bearing the name of Zik of Africa does not need to be in a state of disrepair, so the governor wants this place to be properly repaired and be in use.

“Enugu Rangers is not supposed to be playing their home matches outside this stadium considering what they represent. My governor have the repairing of the stadium as priority to ensure that Rangers come back in as shortest time to play their game matches at home.