
The National Sports Commissionn(NSC) has expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of Ogun State ahead of the fast approaching 22nd edition of the National Sports festival, tagged ‘”Gateway Games 2024″ holding from May 16 to March 30, 2025.
The Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade who doubles as the Chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) gave the remarks when he led a joint team of members of both the local and main organising committees for the inspection of the facilities earmarked for the games.
Speaking in a statement by the Director of Information and
Public Relations of the commission, Mrs. Kehinde Ajayi, Olapade said, “This inspection is not only important because of the aesthetics but also because technically we have been battling with what we want to do with athletics and then throws in. But we have now agreed with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) that the throws will take place at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta because of the kind of astroturf that has been put there, and that for me, it’s the most gratifying thing about this inspection.
“We really need to thank the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, CON, for the kind of work that is ongoing with all the facilities. Now the entire gamut of athletics will now be done at the MKO stadium. And Inside the Stadium, the Governor has taken the issue of security to a whole new level with every Public Address System having a camera.
“The 360 environment of the stadium is covered with World class cameras that can give real time pictures of activities,” he said.
The DG also led his team to inspect other facilities, including the Abeokuta Golf Course where he assured of the commission’s commitment to assist with providing some of the needed equipment which he said will serve as legacies.
“I hope as we support you in all of these, the effect of what we are doing will also be felt by the indigent children who live around this golf course.
“All the facilities billed for the Games are currently wearing a new look with many of them almost ready for the start of what is expected to be one of the best organised Games in the history of the National Sports Festival,” Olapade said.
The inspection of facilities was concluded with a joint technical meeting of all Federation secretaries, states directors of sports, members of both local and main organising committees, as the National Sports Commission and the Ogun State Government put finishing touches to their bid of staging world class games.