Why We Built New Complex – LOC

Vice Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the 17th National Sports Festival,  Garden City Games 2011 and immediate past Rivers State Sports Commissioner, Mr Boma Iyaye has appraised the hosting of the games by Rivers State Government  and explained why the choice of a model sports complex for the hosting of the games.

Mr Iyaye said in an interview with journalists in Port Harcourt that the quest to ‘further develop’ the state sporting facilities moved the Rt Hon. Rotimi Amaechi government to build a new sports complex for the hosting of the games.

Mr Iyaye said when Rivers State won the bid in Kaduna to host the 17th National Sports Festival, the challenge was to host the festival with a difference and possibly leave a legacy that cannot be erased with time.

“After the bid was given to Rivers State, the State Government (resolved) to host the National Sports Festival in a model Sports Complex, which we christened the ‘Adokiye Amiesimaka sports Complex’, he explained.

Iyaye thanked “all those who supported Rivers State bid in Kaduna”,  adding that the government set out to  build the magnificent 26,000-seater stadium which has a football pitch, two other football practice pitches, indoor sports hall, administrative block, medical centre and swimming pool, among other facilities.

“We also have internal roads, walk ways and parking lots”, he said, adding that the contract was awarded to a multinational company in April, 2010, with an initial mandate to complete it in eight months.

The Garden City Games chairman said that the process of hosting and organising the games actually commenced in April, 2009, with the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee, made up of about 18 sub-committees by the state governor, Rt. Hon. Amaechi.

With the inauguration, he said, the sub-committees which include marketing and sponsorship, accommodation, ceremonial and protocol went to work.

He noted that in particular, the marketing and sponsorship sub-committees entered into various MoUs with corporate bodies like Equatorial Trust Bank (ETB) that assured the government of delivering 20 Toyota Corola cars which were received, adding that there was also understanding with Diamond Bank as official bankers of the festival, which also supported the government with about 15 cars for the festival.

“These are just a few of the efforts of the marketing and sponsorship sub-committee; also, other sub-committees have done a lot in the process of organising and hosting the National Sports Festival”, he said.

Mr Iyaye further disclosed that the Rivers State Government budgeted a total sum of N17 billion  both for the hosting and the building of the new infrastructure” and never faulted in releasing funds to the contractors for the completion of the ultra-modern sports complex before the festival started.