FCT Football Association chairman Adam Mouktar Mohammed has commended the initiative by sports minister Sunday Dare for businessman Aliko Dangote to renovate the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
On Wednesday, Sunday Dare formally handed over the mainbowl pitch of the National Stadium to the contractors.
The renovation of the National Stadium will bring life back to the sporting edifice, which was built specially for the 2003 All Africa Games, but in recent years facilities there have suffered from neglect.
“The minister as well as Aliko Dangote have to be saluted for taking up the responsibility of bringing the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja back to life,” FCT FA boss Mouktar Mohammed said.
“This will be a big step forward in the quest for the Super Eagles and other national teams to again play their home games in Abuja.”
Mouktar Mohammed also urged that a sustainable maintenance be put in place after the stadium has been renovated.
“I hope that a maintenance plan will be put in place and duly followed so that we do not have to undertake another major facelift of the facility,” he offered.
The FCT FA chairman also used the opportunity to call on the FCT minister Mohammed Bello to take up the plan for mini-stadiums at the area councils of Abuja.
“The provision of adequate sports infrastructure and facilities will ensure the development and promotion of sports,” he said.
“And so the completion of these mini-stadiums across all the area councils will go a long way in this regard.”
