Sports
NSC Settles Electricity, Water Bills At National Stadium
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has spent N6 million to settle the backlog of electricity and water bills at the National Stadium, Lagos, to ensure regular supplies.
Abolore Alanamu, the Stadium Manager, told newsmen in Lagos on Friday that the bills were paid on July 16.
Alanamu said the bills had accumulated since the last three years before he assumed the headship of the facility.
He said water bill had accumulated to about N9 million while that of electricity was N1.2 million.
“We (NSC and the Lagos State Water Corporation) had to meet ourselves halfway to reduce the backlog to N5m.
“On the same Friday, another N1.2 million was paid to the PHCN and from now on we will continue to enjoy regular supply of these amenities,’’ Alanamu said.
He also that 20 private security men were employed two months ago to beef up security, especially in areas where renovation projects were going on in the stadium.
“A total rehabilitation of the boxing gym has begun in the areas of electrical, mechanical and carpentry works,’’ the stadium manager said.
He, however, said that the flooring of the gym had not started because the rehabilitation of the leaking portions of the roof had not been completed.
“We decided to tarry awhile on the flooring to avoid its damage a second time by the rain. The leakage on the roof damaged portions of the wooden floor,’’ Alanamu said.
He expressed optimism that the contractors would meet the eight-week deadline for the first phase of renovation of facilities in the stadium.
It will be recalled that former Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, inaugurated the facility in 1972.
Tidesport source gathered that renovation of the knock-up and the indoor multipurpose halls and the Brai Ayonote Boxing Gym have begun.
England captain Harry Kane netted a hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to an impressive victory against Stuttgart.
Kane’s goals, plus one from Kingsley Coman, helped Bayern end a three-game winless run in all competitions.
They faced a tough task against a Stuttgart side who sat back and limited their chances, leading Vincent Kompany’s side to enter the break frustrated and with the deadlock unbroken.
Bayern eventually found a way past Stuttgart’s steely defence when Kane drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out after Joshua Kimmich overturned possession.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor