FCT Partner Ministry Of Sports To Upgrade MKO Abiola Stadium To Boost Tourism

The Federal Capital Territory has announced its plans to partner with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to rehabilitate the Moshood Abiola Stadium to attract more tourist to the territory. 
The Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, disclosed this when he received the Minister of Youth and Sports Sunday Dare, in his office.

 Bello who spoke on the need for maximum utilization of the facility explained that if the stadium is upgraded to a certain standard it will attract more tourist to the capital territory which in turn will generate more funds needed to run the territory.

Bello described the stadium as a very important public monument in Abuja which according to him has not served its full potential, adding that after the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the stadium is the second most iconic public edifice in Abuja, noticeable immediately upon arrival into the city thus should not be under utilized.

He said, “rehabilitating the stadium is  going to be in our own joint interest, not only as an Administration but as a people, particularly now that it’s very clear that moving abroad for holidays or for short trips that was the popular pastime of many in Nigeria, is not going to be as it used to be.

As a matter of fact, in the last two and half months, flights have not flown out or come into this country. So, it is now that we will start to appreciate the beauty of what we have across the country. Each time I go to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, I feel very delighted and proud that we have something like this in Nigeria”.

Bello advised the Sports Ministry to work out a long term sustainable plan with the private sector to open up the various facilities in the stadium for public use.

According to him, attention should be focused on vegetation control, waste evacuation and lighting. The stadium is exceptionally beautiful when lit up at night, if the rehabilitation works are done properly, the stadium can really become a city within a city and be a major tourist destination within the country”.

In his remarks the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, said that the Moshood Abiola Stadium was one of the four Federal Government stadia across the country and the Ministry is committed to ensuring that the iconic monument came back to life and full functionality for the benefit of the sporting community and the entire country.

He said, “the stadium as it is, is not just for sports men and women alone. It is built in such comprehensive way that it is a city within a city with a the 5,000 capacity parking lot, a 64,000 capacity sitting arena, 54 executive suites furnished, all locked up that can be rented and given out; about nine different football practice pitches, Olympic sized swimming pool and eight massive generators. 

Also we have a stream that runs across  it and a massive expanse of land to build a five-star hotel. We want to turn it into a piece of real estate and a sporting facility that will be the pride of this country and the pride of Africa and we think that the FCT will be a worthy partner”, he said.