18th NSF: Contractors Rush To Complete Facilities

The Venue and Facilities Coordinator for the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos, Waheed Adelekan on Wednesday said that contractors now work overnight to ensure that sports venues were ready.

Adelekan told newsmen in Lagos that repainting of the Teslim Balogun Stadium was nearing completion, while the damaged seats in the main bowl were being replaced.

“We are working tirelessly toward achieving 100 per cent readiness of Teslim Balogun, University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology and the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex.

“We have doubled the labour force to ensure a careful speedy job is done.

“We assure Nigerians that we will achieve completion of the refurbishing before states contingent for the games start arriving,” Adelakan said.

Barely 12 days to commencement of the festival, contractors were running out of time to ensure the readiness of the facilities.

At the Teslim Balogun Stadium scaffoldings were seen in some wings of the main bowl building, while painting is going on.

The damaged seats of the main bowl are being removed and replaced, while the state box is also being put in shape.

Cleaners are busy in the stadium clearing all the surroundings and the debris from the work.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Adejoke Adefulire-Orelope had on Tuesday criticised the slow pace of work and gave the contractors four days ultimatum to deliver the venues to the government.

However, contractors at the venues declined to comment on the on-going work.