Eket gets 10,000-seater mini-stadium

6 July 2017

Akwa Ibom State government has approved the construction of a 10,000 seater stadium for Eket town, a move that may not be unconnected with Governor Udom Emmanuel’s determination to expand sporting infrastructure in the state.

The State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Monday Uko made the disclosure after inspecting the old Eket stadium yesterday.

It would be recalled that the state under the present administration is constructing 10 sporting complexes in the 10 federal constituencies, aimed at developing talents across the state and to enable sports men and women from the state compete favourably in national and international competitions.

Eket stadium was constructed by the Eket local council in 1994 and played host to top flight clubs, including Mobil Pegasus FC, but has since been in a state of disrepair after organisers of the Mobil Secondary School Athletics Competition moved the competition to the prestigious Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

According to him, the new facility would be completed before the end of May 2018, adding that, such would be a boost to the state sports policy.

The facility, according to him, would have a tartan tracks for athletics, a practicing pitch in addition to the main bowl.

The commissioner said that the facility, when completed, would help decongest state sponsored football teams from Uyo and offer the residents of the city opportunity to watch top flight football again.

“We are not going to inherit anything from the old stadium. Everything here will give way for a brand new stadium, which by the grace of God will be completed before the end of May 29, 2018.

“We are going to construct a stadium that will take at least 10,000 spectators, and going by the enthusiasm and quality that the Governor attaches to his projects, the stadium should be able to attract international matches.

“It will also help the sports ministry to decongest the state sponsored football teams mostly based in Uyo and provide yet another training facility for international teams that are playing at the Godswill Akpabio International stadium in Uyo”, he said.

On efforts to develop athletes who excelled at the last state youth games, he disclosed that, they would represent the state in the forthcoming national youth games at Ilorin as a strategy to continue with their development, adding that efforts would be intensified to sustain the gains made in the last state youth games.

Representatives of Eket community at the inspection commended the timely intervention of the Governor on the stadium, promising that, the community would provide the needed security of the facility.

 

Source:guardian.ng