The construction company handling the renovation of the playing pitch of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, Reform Sports West Africa Limited has promised that the work will be completed next month and Rangers International FC will return to their home base.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with New National Star in Abuja, the Project Manager, Architect Sani Mohammed regretted the delay in completion of the project and disclosed that the “Flying Antelopes” will return to the stadium to conclude their 2023 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL season.
Arch Mohammed explained that the delay in completion of the project was due to technical and logistical issues.
“We appreciate you for reaching us to get our side of the story.ñ on the remodeling of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu. We are a construction company, Reform Sports West Africa Limited. We remodelled the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, built UNEC (University of Nigeria Enugu Campus) Stadium as well as Rangers Camp/training pitch all in Enugu in 2009. Specifically, during the FIFA U-17 World Cup which Nigeria hosted and Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium was selected as one of the stadiums to host matches.
“We built the UNEC Stadium and Rangers Training Camp to global standard. And we delivered these projects within the time limit.
“It is unfortunate that the remodelling of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium is taking this long, and the delay is not our making. We encountered technical and logistical issues along the line and we appealed to the Enugu State Government for extension of time, which they graciously granted.
“We apologise to the good people of the state for the delay in the completion of the project but I want to assure you that Rangers will return back home in February to finish their league season.
“The astro turf arrived in Lagos in February and we have made concerted effort to clear them. We are grateful that our effort is yielding results because the turf will arrive Enugu this week. The stadium is 98% completed.
“Reform Group West Africa is not new name in construction ND renovation of sports facilities in the country. We renovated Dan Ayiam Stadium in Owerri, we are renovating Lafia City Stadium in Nasarawa State. The score boards in Enugu, Calabar are our works. Our works are numerous in Nigeria football/sports ecosystem,” he said.
Other stadium renovated by the Reform Sports West Africa Limited include; Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi; Mogadishu Cantonment (former Abacha) Barracks Abuja military formation pitch and Akure Township Stadium, Ondo State
Similarly, the Enugu State Government has assured that the renovation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium pitch will be completed in no distant time.
The commissioner for youth and sports in the state, Manfred Nzekwe gave the assurance in a press briefing on Saturday.
Mr Nzekwe who regretted the delay in completion of the project and appealed the good people of the state and Rangers supporters for more patience. Adding that the project will not go into litigation and as they are exploring every necessary means the get the remodeling completed before the end if the 2022 Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL season.
“The stadium will be completed, I assure you. Our people should have confidence in the government. We have done our part as a government and this will not go into litigation. But we are going to use all the apparatus of government to get this job completed so that both government and the people will be happy as we are winding up.
“The government is not sleeping. There are activities that even government is supposed to be holding here (in the stadium) not just the foot all alone. But because of this, they are not holding. It is affecting everybody and the government of his Excellency, (Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi) is not sleeping.
“I reassure you that this whole thing will be addressed. I want to appeal that the situation we find ourselves, mostly our darling team that is playing outside, if there is anything we can do to support them and come out of that situation because they are playing outside, I know that one day, they will be playing at home: let us encourage and support them,” he said