The former Green Eagles’ winger, Adegoke Adelabu, a sports scientist has questioned Sports Minister, Sunday Dare’s claim of over N21 billion to fix the National Stadium, Lagos, which has already gulped $1 million in renovation fees.
Questioning the figures, former Green Eagles’ winger, Adegoke Adelabu, a sports scientist, said the money is enough to build a new stadium with modern facilities.
“It is outrageous,” Adelabu said, “How many times will the government rebuild the National Stadium? We need to ask who is collecting money from the people doing business inside the stadium. The institute within it is under-utilized.
“I know that people collect tickets to come into the stadium. So, who are the people involved? Who do they account to? I think the sports minister should forget such unproductive ideas, which I know Nigerians will not tolerate. More so, we are the only country who runs sports at a loss,” he stated.
Adelabu said he had never heard of any project embarked upon by the sports ministry to develop athletes, querying, “Why does the sports minister want the stadium repaired when we don’t have any development project?
“They should tell us how the stadium would generate the money spent on it. What is our current position in revenue generation from sports in different states? All we are doing is spending money. I am sure they are all lying about the amount spent on fixing the stadium, and the money needed by the sports minister is a joke. How can they ask for such an amount of money for an existing stadium?
“I learnt that Baba Ijebu has already spent about $ 1 million to fix some portions of the stadium. Even when we built Abuja stadium, foreign press that came for the competition said it was the costliest stadium in the world, but the ball could not roll on the grass when it rained. We don’t have much money to be wasted again.”
