President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has commended the contractors engaged in the construction of the NFF-FIFA Players’ hostel and new training pitches for their impressive pace of work. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place on 18th March of this year.
During an inspection of the site, located opposite the NFF Secretariat within the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Gusau, accompanied by some members of the NFF Management, was shown around the various sections of the project by the lead architect, Architect Gambo Ahmadu.
Following the inspection, Gusau expressed satisfaction with the progress made and voiced confidence that the contractors would meet the 24-month timeline set for the project’s completion.
“I am pleased with the pace of work, the seriousness demonstrated by the contractors, and the quality observed thus far. They have a 24-month deadline to deliver, and at the current rate, they should be able to complete both the Players’ Hostel and the Training Pitches within that time frame.
“I am also impressed with the standard of work. For the current NFF administration, this is a legacy project that holds significant importance for us. I am happy that the project is situated close to the office, allowing members of the NFF Executive Committee, myself, and the NFF Management and staff to easily monitor progress whenever they are in Abuja.”
The inspection took Gusau and his team to the locations of the new training pitches, the existing training pitch—which is also set to undergo extensive renovation—and the two-storey Players’ Hostel. The ground floor will house various offices and conference facilities, while the first and second floors will contain accommodation for players and officials.
“We require a report on the progress made so far, along with photographs, to send to FIFA to keep them informed regarding the developments in the project,” Gusau instructed Architect Ahmadu.
It is worth noting that Gusau had proposed this legacy project during only the second meeting of the current NFF Executive Committee, which was unanimously approved. The plan is to utilise the NFF’s remaining funds from FIFA 2.0 alongside the anticipated funds from the newly initiated FIFA 3.0 for the construction of appropriate hostel accommodation for the national teams and the development of two football pitches (one natural turf and one synthetic turf) for the teams’ use within the Goal Project sector of Package B of the MKO Abiola National Stadium.
Accompanying Gusau during the inspection were the NFF’s Director of Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire; Deputy Director of Competitions, Dr Ayo Abdulrahaman; Assistant Director of Protocol, Emmanuel Ayanbunmi; and Special Assistant to the President, Abubakar Danladi Umar.
