The minister of sports development, Sen. John Enoh, has called on the private sector to partner more with the Federal Government on sports development in the country.

The minister made the call on Tuesday at the handing over of the rehabilitated pitch/scoreboard of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, by Dangote Group and Aron Nigeria Ltd.

He expressed delight at the completion of work and the handing over of the rehabilitated pitch/scoreboard.

The minister commended Dangote and the company for the completion of their two years of maintenance rehabilitation.

He said the rehabilitation of the national stadium facilities by the two companies represents a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to enhance sports infrastructure in the country.

“As a country, we are indebted to Dangote Group for the huge resources it committed to the rehabilitation of the national stadium.

“I look forward to more collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector to develop sports in our country,” he said.

Mr Enoh appealed to the private sector to display greater interest and commitment to investing in sports.

He emphasised the pivotal role sports play in shaping the destinies of millions of Nigerian youths.

The minister said that sports, beyond its recreational value, has become a significant business, and the ministry is ready to engage in fruitful partnerships with the private sector to harness this potential.

The minister, however, decried the non-certification of the pitch at the national stadium by CAF and FIFA, preventing Grade A matches from being played there.

He said he will work diligently to ensure the pitch meets international standards and begin to host Grade A matches, especially for the various national teams.

Earlier, representatives of the contractors, Aron Nigeria Ltd, Soji Adeniyi, expressed satisfaction with the successful execution of the project.

He commended Dangote Group for its sponsorship and timely payments, acknowledging the cooperation of the ministry’s facility managers in completing the project.

(NAN)