Mr. Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youth and Sports has frowned at the lack of maintenance of and under utilization of one of the swimming pools at Package B of the Abuja National Stadium.
The Minister who paid an unscheduled visit to the swimming pool section of the Stadium on Tuesday expressed displeasure with the lack of use of the pool which is now turned to a breeding pond for tadpoles, fishlings and frogs. Some of the tiles inside the warm up pool had already come off and covered with algae.
Dalung queried why the pool was left in its present state after so much money was spent to construct the facility.
“I understand that since 2003 when this swimming pool was built, it has not been used for any competition. Why has this government facility been left to deteriorate to this level after 15 years of building it?” the Minister queried.
In his response, the Deputy Director of facilities at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Arch. Gambo Ahmadu explained that there were no competitions and therefore no swimmers to make use of the pool. Gambo also stated that new pumping machines and treatment chemicals were needed to change the water and make it functional.
“We need filters, additives and pumping machines to get the pool back in good condition but the problem is that there are no athletes to make use of the facility.”
The Minister however requested for a budget to put the facility back in use to be sent to him in the next 48 hours.
He also inspected the offices and charged them to keep it clean.
