By Godwin Bamigboye.

 You may be thinking that this write up is aimed at activating the proposed protest by  Concerned Sports Stakeholders in FCT. No! Rather, this piece aims at communicating what I call good news. Good news in the sense that the protest may no longer be necessary. Why? I took my time as a former Information Officer in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and deployed my journalistic experience to know what the  leadership of FCTA is doing about the poor state of sports infrastructure in FCT. 

The good news on the table is that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is giving serious attention to the completion of abandoned sports projects especially the six (6) stadia in the Area Councils. An unimpeachable source told me that a Committee has been working on these projects. The Committee members inspected  the projects. He said clearly that the Public Works Department of FCTA is working towards the resumption of works on these projects. My source has assured me that work shall resume very soon on the abandoned stadia in the six Area Councils in FCT. This is indeed a cheerful news that has elicited patience on the part of concerned Sports Stakeholders in FCT. The Concerned Sports Stakeholders have decided to put on hold any form of protest in view of the assurances received. The stakeholders also commended the steps being taken quietly and advised that this action should be made manifest within a short space of time. Let me also refresh your memory with the earlier position of the concerned Sports Stakeholders in FCT.

"Sports stakeholders in FCT are contemplating to hold a mild protest at the headquarters of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to press home their demand for the need to give urgent attention to the provision of Sports infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory. 

The Leader of the concerned sports stakeholders in the FCT, Godwin Bamigboye said that they are optimistic that the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike will give the deserved attention to the provision of Sports infrastructure in Abuja as soon as practicable but lamented that it is possible that the Minister is yet to receive the right briefs about the state of Sports infrastructure in the Federal Capital which he described as unbefitting. He explained that the FCT has no completed Stadium. He emphasized that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, though located in Abuja, is managed by the Federal Ministry of Sports Development. The FCT for now has no stadium. He added that what the FCT has is Seven uncompleted Stadia. Yet, the sports Managers in FCT have been recording achievements despite these shortcomings.

He said the massive attention the Minister is currently giving to infrastructural development and upgrade is a clear attestation to a possible attention for provision of Sports infrastructure.
Bamigboye told Exclusive News that the protest is called a mild one and will be done in stages untill the Minister makes a pronouncement on his plans for Sports in FCT.

The Leader of the Concerned Sports Stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory while speaking further emphasized the need to give sports development the desired attention. He commended the Super Eagles of Nigeria for their superlative performance at the ongoing African Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire, citing the importance of Sports to the unity, peace, progress, youth empowerment and as instrument for social mobilization.

The Concerned Sports Stakeholders called on the Minister to give accelerated attention to the development of the Area Three Stadium, Abuja Sports Centre, popularly known as Old Parade Ground and the Six abandoned Stadia in the FCT Area Councils".