Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Commissioner of Sports and Youth Development, Lloyd Ekweremadu, has said that the government was determined to revive School Sports and to see the state-owned football club, Rangers International, return to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium for its home matches before the end of November.
The commissioner gave the assurances while briefing Government House correspondents at the end of State Executive Council meeting at the weekend.
Ekweremadu said though the governor’s November deadline was tight, the Ministry was determined to ensure that the Flying Antelopes returned to the stadium, popularly known as The Cathedral, before November.
“The Executive Council today was briefed on the issue of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and the expected return of our darling Rangers to play at our Cathedral and to generally bring the stadium back to effective use.
“We deliberated on the targets and steps being taken to meet set targets of the government.
“We are making progress. The turf, which is to be laid on the plain surface, is in Nigeria now.
“It has passed the very critical stage, which is Customs clearance, but there are a few other steps at the moment.
“Deadlines have been set and those deadlines are quite short and ambitious.
“But we are very optimistic and we know in fact that we will meet those targets and our goals. So, we are taking very proactive steps to ensure that we beat the target.
“The governor said in his 100 days in office speech that the stadium would be ready for use by November.
“But we are working round the clock to see that we even beat that time and deliver the stadium back to use in record time,” he said.
He added that creative and innovative steps were being taken, particularly with regards to sponsorship, to bring Rangers to the winning ways of old.
According to him, measures were being put in place to revive school sports in the state.
“Steps are being taken through collaborations amongst various ministries towards actualising His Excellency’s vision to bring back and revitalise school sports.
“Our plans include bringing inter-school sports back to serve as an opportunity for talent discovery.
“To engage the youths positively and actively as well as keep them away from social vices, crime and the like,” he said.
