Concession Of National Stadium

When President Goodluck Jonathan approved the concession of the National Stadium in Lagos last month, many sports stakeholders reacted differently. While some sports enthusiasts said if the new arrangement would bring back life into the National Stadium, then, it’s a welcome development, others felt that it will have adverse effect on athletes and coaches who will now be paying for the facilities before using them.

The Federal Executive Council had in September 2012 set up a committee to look into how federal stadia are maintained and to develop a sustainable funding framework for sports in general.That committee in turn set up a technical sub-committee, which in collaboration with the Bureau of Public and Enterprise, BPE, and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission recommended the most viable option for the maintenance of the six federal stadia.

The technical committee recommended  private sector participation in the management and operations of the stadia with concession as the preferred approach. It also recommended that the concession of the federal stadia should start with the National Stadium in Lagos.

It has become obvious that the Federal Government can no longer manage the stadia which have become dilapidated, with broken doors, roofs of the spectators’ stands falling apart and the stinking ambience that greets visitors.

Since the facilities at the Lagos National Stadium are in a state of disrepair, investors that will take over will make sure that  world class facilities are put in place for the athletes.  Miscreants should be sent packing. There should be  maximum security for the athletes, coaches and football administrators at the stadium.

We believe that the concession is a welcome development that will benefit all the stakeholders in the long run because government has shown that it cannot maintain the edifice alone as there is a lot of demand on its lean resources. The concession could restore the beauty of  the sporting arena. For this concession to work, the modalities for giving out the stadium to the private sector must be done in a credible and transparent manner.