The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and Minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Solomon Dalung on Wednesday called for urgent handover of National Stadium abandoned by the Federal Government in Lagos, to the state government to handle the renovation and effective management of the stadium.
Speaking after embarking on extensive inspection tour of the facilities in the Stadium alongside the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung; Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Mr. Amaju PInnick and other top government functionaries, Governor declared the readiness of the state government to take over the Surulere National Stadium from the Federal Government and transform it from its present deplorable condition to a world class sporting centre.
Ambode who decried the decayed infrastructure in the stadium expressed preparedness to hit the ground running towards restoring the old glory of the stadium once officially handed over to the state.
He said: “This visit is very historic. I recall that during our campaign, we promised that we are going to use tourism, entertainment and arts and sports to drive youth employment as well as drive excellence. So, this is just one chapter in that road-map to growing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Lagos.
“With the state of affairs here, we cannot fold our arms and just leave this monument to just waste away. The last match that was played here was played about fifteen years ago but the truth is this, the inner key to youth empowerment and youth employment is actually in re-establishing this edifice to its real world class standard,” he said.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving that the Ahmadu Bello Stadium be given to Kaduna State as well as Enugu Stadium and Calabar Stadium be given to Enugu and Akwa Ibom state governments respectively.
“What we ask for in Lagos is not as if we are being aggressive, we just think that we need to stand up for leadership here and take over the National Stadium,” the Governor said.
The Governor lauded the Sports Minister for spearheading the move to handover the Stadium to Lagos State and expressed optimism that the journey which had started would eventually lead to a formal pronouncement.
Earlier, Dalung lamented the dilapidated condition of the Stadium was a national disaster which called for serious and comprehensive action to reposition the Stadium and return it to its pride of place.
Dalung who expressed confidence in the ability of the state government to transform it thanked Ambode for his interest and commitment to the success of the move to reposition the stadium.
“We have gone round and we have seen the edifice in a sorry state. Whatever we can do to arrest the situation, we must do it. In my village, there is an adage, which says once there is fire disaster, there is no choice of liquid and any liquid that can contribute to extinguish the fire, must be mobilized including liquor. But today, we have a disaster and we must do everything possible to extinguish it.
“I want to thank the Governor for finding time to come. I have received what I can call football gossip from football federation that if the Surulere Stadium is handed over to Lagos and renovated in six months, the next match of Nigeria against Zambia would be played here,” the Minister said.
He also appealed to Governor Ambode to revamp the Stationary Football Club of Lagos.