"Ahmadu Bello Stadium still one of the best" - Hon. Minister

Ahmadu Bello Stadium still one of the best: Hon. Minister

 By Jide Bodunde

Nigeria's Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Akin Dare stated that the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna does not look like a stadium built since 1964 because of its world class facilities and hence not completely disappointing.

He made this assertion in Kaduna on Tuesday when he inspected facilities at the stadium.

The Hon. Minister who defied the heavy downpour inspected the Main bowl, Tracks, indoors, outdoors, media gallery among other facilities.

"The Ahmadu Bello Stadium is not completely disappointing and does not look like one built since 1964 because of its world class facilities.

"I'm here primarily to look at the Main bowl, Indoors and Outdoors which are my main focus. I have also seen the tracks which are world class.

" The Ministry through government will fund and upgrade these facilities in other to attract private investors.

"We are going to pay attention to all the Regional stadia some of which are; the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, National Stadium, Lagos, Michael Okpara Stadium in Enugu and others.

" We will sit down and look at what has worked in the past and what hasn't and take bold steps toward tackling them. Whatever is working would be allowed to be and build on things not.

"There will be crucial conversations and crucial confrontations as i have lined up meetings with all the Federations in the next two -three weeks where strategies would be mapped out to get things working as grassroots sport will also have a look at."

When asked the role of the media in all that the new Minister tends to achieve in office, he said; "I'm going to look into it. We will widen that space of sports and the media despite scarcity of funds. I will improve communication as a media person myself," he concluded.