Bayelsa to host National Sports Festival in 2028
…Begins site clearing for construction of 25,000-capacity Stadium in Yenagoa
By Odie Ramon, Yenagoa.
Bayelsa State Government says it will bid for the hosting of the National Sports Festival in 2028 when the new stadium sited at Igbogene in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state is completed by the government.
Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali, gave the hint during a visit to the site to ascertain the level of work done by the contractor in charge of the clearing of the site.
He noted that the new stadium would occupy about forty hectares of land with a sitting capacity of 25,000, and stated that he was pleased with the level of work done by the contractor within a short period.
According to him, the construction of the 25,000-sitting capacity stadium is expected to be completed within twenty-four months, explaining that the contractor for the project would be unveiled next week after the bidding from five companies who already showed interest.
The commissioner hinted that the government was going through the bidding documents of the various contractors before the job would be awarded and made public.
Dr. Igali explained that the stadium would be a multi-purpose stadium that would have two training pitches, a swimming pool, a diving pool, a Basketball court, a volleyball court, a tennis court, and a table tennis hall with about eight different halls that would house other sports.
The Olympian asserted that the essence of constructing the world-class stadium was to ensure that Bayelsa adequately hosted the 2028 National Sports Festival, pointing out that the stadium would be the most modern in the country with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) facilities.
On the choice of Igbogene for the stadium, Dr. Igali explained that the land that was previously earmarked for the construction of the stadium has eighteen hectares of land while the Igbogene site has double that space that can accommodate all the facilities that are needed in a modern stadium.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports Development, Mrs. Grace Alagoa, appreciated the governor, Senator Douye Diri, for ensuring that the youths earn a living through sports.
Also, the Director of Sports, Sir Braveman Wodi, opined that the construction of the new stadium would help the athletes realize their potential and as well consolidate the achievements made in the sports sector in the last five years, describing it as laudable.
The contractor in charge of clearing the site, Mr. Ama-ebi Ebikpolade Stow, CEO of Ama-ebi Consultants Ltd, said 60% of the 25 hectares awarded to his company have been completed in less than eight days and that the remaining part of the clearing would be completed within one week.
