The Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has disclosed that it will cost the sum of N81m to cut the overgrown grass at MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
This was disclosed whilst speaking at a one-day seminar organised by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, FCT chapter. Mr Dare made it known that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, made the cost assessment for the ministry.
The 29-hectare stadium was built in 2003 at the cost of N53 billion.
The stadium is divided into Package A, which houses the Main Bowl and Package B, which houses other facilities like basketball courts, NFF office, volleyball courts, tennis courts and squash courts. He said,
“We approached AEPB to come see what can be done to clear the grass and weed in the stadium and they told us it will cost us N81m.
“If we tell Nigerians we used N81m which is not even available, there will be an outcry. The funds are not really there for us and that is why we are partnering with private investors to bring back the key components of our infrastructures.”