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• N400m from Adebutu fixed pitch, scoreboard, tracks
By Emma Jemegah
An estimate of about N21b is needed to completely revive the National Stadium, Surulere, which was abandoned for 17 years before the ongoing work started two years ago.
Minister of Sports Sunday Dare who made this known on Friday in Lagos added that 80 per cent of the job has been done with the little resources that came courtesy of Adebutu Kessington through the Adopt-A Pitch initiative of the Ministry of Sports.
Dare added: “We lost one year to COVID-19 during the period and we were still able to make impact.”
“Ten sponsors were needed, and we got only one. The budget for each of the stadia is not enough to maintain it. The story of the Surulere Stadium is pathetic because all the cables were stolen and we met a structure completely dead such that we started from ground zero.
“Now, the scoreboard is back, the pitch is back with water sprinklers working while the tartan tracks are 80 per cent ready.”
The sports minister commended the efforts of Kessington and Aliko Dangote, who partnered with the ministry to revive the Moshood Abiola Stadium Abuja which was abandoned for 13 years.
