NSC Plans Private-Sector Takeover Of Sports Facilities

The National Sports Commission (NSC) is liaising with the
Presidential Committee on Sports Restructuring for private sector takeover of
major sporting facilities in Nigeria, the Director-General, Chief Patrick
Ekeji, said.

Ekeji made the disclosure to newsmen in Abuja while reacting
to the suggestion that NSC should no longer be allowed to manage major sporting
facilities.

The facilities include the six national stadia.

“President Jonathan set up the committee to see how we can
sustain these edifices with emphasis on maintenance and provision of funding
for sports development.

“I have always been an advocate of Public Private
Partnership (PPP).

“Indeed, I was first, the chairman of the Technical
Committee that started the construction of the Abuja Stadium when I was the
Director of Facilities in 2002.

“Then, I had proposed that we engage private sports facility
managers because I know the challenges.

“I know that government will not always have enough funds to
manage these facilities.

“The plan which went through due process was for both the
package A and B of the Abuja National Stadium as well as the Games Village but
they did not go beyond that point,” Ekeji said.

According to him, factors, including gimmicks at higher
political level, contributed to the collapse of the initial takeover plan by
corporate individuals and organisations.

He said that his meeting with the Bureau of Public
Enterprise and other government privatising agencies was an indication of
President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to restructure sports in the country.

The director-general said that very soon, the stadia would
be in good condition for private sector takeover.