Chairman, House Committee on Youth and Sports, Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Babatunde Ayeni has called on the state government to ensure that facilities used for the last edition of the National Sports Festival are well maintained. The Chairman of the Committee Hon. Babatunde Ayeni gave the charge while inspecting facilities at the Teslim Elias Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
The lawmaker stated that the call became pertinent as effective maintenance of the facilities would help to conserve funds that would ordinarily be spent on provision of sporting facilities during future events. Ayeni who was accompanied by other members of the committee and some officials of the Ministry of Sports urged those responsible for the management of the facilities to expectation and ensure that the facilities are well managed.
“I just returned from FIFA Confederations Cup, What I saw there was not extra ordinary, but they have administrative discipline which we Nigerians lack,” he remarked. At the Rowe Park Sport centre, the Chairman urged the management of the park to ensure that athletes make use of the facilities always to keep fit and be well prepared for future sport festival and other major competitions.
At the Jalisco mini sport centre, he commended the State government for upgrading the centre and urged the Ministry to open it for the use of the people of Oshodi and environs. “I really want to express my gratitude to the State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola for upgrading Jalisco Sport Centre the only mini stadium we have here in Oshodi-Isolo. Jalisco has been closed down for the past two years due to the reconstruction of the centre and I want to appeal to the authority concern to open the centre for the benefit of Oshodi-Isolo,’’ he said.
Other Centres visited were the Surulere and Agege Staduim. A member of the Committee Hon. Hakeem Masha, explained that the visit was to ascertain the level of maintenance of the facilities. He expressed satisfaction happiness at the state of the facilities, saying “the committee is satisfied with the level of maintenance of the facilities and therefore implore the authority concern not to rest on their oars” .
