10th May, 2019
The Edo Government is building and revamping more sports facilities ahead of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) the state will host in Benin in March 2020, Gov. Godwin Obaseki says.
Obaseki stated this on Thursday in Benin while inspecting a new block of building that would serve as secretariat for the festival officials during the competition.
He said the building, located inside the Edo Government House, would be ready in six weeks time.
“It will be properly equipped with the necessary facilities, such as communication system, to upgrade the standard of the festival,” the governor said.
Obaseki added that existing sports facilities were also being put in good shape.
“We are setting up new standards for hosting the NSF. We are doing a total revamp of the stadium.
“We have ordered new athletics tracks, we are rebuilding tennis courts, swimming pools and investing in other facilities around the city that will be used for the festival,” he said.
Speaking also at the occasion, the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, said the state sports festival would be staged ahead of the National Sports Festival.
“The state sports festival will be the trials for those that will represent Edo during the NSF. Team Edo will be raised from the state sports festival,” he said.
Shaibu said other arrangements were being put in place to ensure Edo did not just host, but participate successfully.
He stated that ongoing reconstruction work at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin would soon be completed and the stadium would be ready for use before the end of August.