The Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja mainbowl turf and two of its training pitches are back in good shape and ready to host international football matches again.
The turf of the mainbowl had taken a heavy blow after it was rehabilitated through the Public-Private Partnership(PPP)arrangement of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Dangote Industries Group late last year.
The Ministry’s Adopt a pitch Initiative also ensured that similar rehabilitation works are being carried out on the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos and the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium(formerly called Liberty Stadium) in Ibadan.
The Super Eagles beat Sierra Leone 2-1 in the opening game of their 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers in Abuja but the state of the pitch left so much to be desired.
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Sports Minister Sunday Dare had also directed that the facilities of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja would only be used for the national teams to prevent abuse and over use.
A visit to the stadium over the weekend reveals the attention to details by groundsmen who want to deliver a world class pitch before the next set of International matches of the Super Eagles in September.
In addition to the revamping of the playing turf, the stadium now has new installed FIFA approved technical and players’ bench, as well as more effective underground water sprinklers.
Sports Minister Sunday Dare has also reiterated that works at the National Stadium, Surulere and Obafemi Awolowo Stadium will continue to be monitored until their turn around is completed.
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COMMENTS
A lot of talk with minimal action and no real commitments. No lasting solutions. Proverbial one step forward, two steps backwards. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do: match the North Africans, or even SA in terms of pitch development and maintenance. Resource-wise, it should have been the other way round.