The renovation of the Ilorin indoor sports hall in the Kwara State capital will gulp N2.06 billion to turn it into an ultra modern sports facility.
Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Bolaji Magaji, disclosed this in an interaction with sports writers under the aegis of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, in Ilorin on Wednesday.
He said previous administrations in the state had neglected the indoor sports hall for long, which led to its decadence.
Magaji, who said that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is determined to bring the stadium back to its pride, added that the renovation of the indoor sports hall would be completed in 12 months.
He also hinted that the government planned to make the stadium accommodate about 25 different sports when completed.
“Due to lack of maintenance, reptiles were even attacking some of our athletes. However, the sports hall will be much better than before when fully renovated. There will be many innovations that will be added.
“It will become a centre of tourism because local and international tournaments will be held there.
“There will be an increase in sales among business outlets and offices in the stadium while hotels in the state capital and surroundings would get improved patronage because athletes would converge on the state anytime sports events are organised inside the hall,” he added.
Magaji, further assured that both state and national sports festivals would be held inside the sports hall after completion of the renovation works.
The executive chairman of the sports commission said the target of the state government in sports development was to take youths out of the streets and make them have social value and benefit.
“The target is not aimed at financial gains or rewards really, but to make the youths shun drugs, thuggery and hooliganism and be more useful to the state and themselves,” he declared.