PRESS RELEASE
The Government of Akwa Ibom State has received with
gladness the notice of the proposed visit of His Excellency, the
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari, GCFR, to
our dear state on December 28, 2018. Consequent to this proposed visit,
the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Akwa Ibom State is in receipt of a
letter of application dated December 19, 2018, requesting for the use of
the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium as the venue for his
reception ceremony.
Whereas we have sent a letter, dated
December 20, 2018 in response to the application, addressed to Hon. Ini
Okopido, the State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Akwa Ibom
State, we are obliged, in light of the unfortunate attempt by some
political actors and commentators to pit Akwa Ibom State Government
against President Mohammadu Buhari and the Presidency. May we inform
Akwa Ibom People and the entire public, of the reasons for our inability
to approve the use of the requested venue. As stated in our response,
our inability is hinged on two grounds;
1) That the next
season of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) is scheduled to
begin on January 13, 2018. In view of this and the fixtures of home
matches for Akwa United FC, it will be practically impossible to
‘regrass’ the stadium for pre-fixed matches, if used for non-sports
activities, because of the nature of pressure that such events bring on
the pitch. Additionally, The Maintenance Contractor (Julius Berger) had
also advised that the present atmospheric conditions being very hostile
to the pitch, the facility should not be used for non-sport activities
during this harmattan period, so as to avoid inflicting long term or
irreversible damage to the grass on the football pitch. This reason
forced the relocation of the State’s Christmas Carols festival from the
earlier proposed Godswill Akpabio International Stadium to the Uyo
township Stadium.
2) Moreover, the stadium from its inception has
been under a maintenance contract with Julius Berger Construction
Company. They operate all the sensitive and non-sensitive components of
the facility. They had closed for the year and proceeded on vacation (as
it has been their usual practice) and are due to resume on January 7,
2018. The implication of this is that, the technical capacity required
to activate the venue is currently unavailable, and this is not within
our control.
The Ministry has however approved, in the
alternative, the use of the Uyo Township Stadium for the event. We
guarantee that the approved venue is in perfect condition.
Signed:
Rt. Hon. (Sir) Monday Ebong Uko
Honourable Commissioner
Courtesy Mrs Meflyn Anwana, Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Digital Media
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