The Commissioner for Sports, Youth, and Creativity, Terkimbi Ikyange, has announced that the significant investment in sports infrastructure by Governor Hyacinth Alia will soon restore Benue State’s prominence in sporting activities again.
During an inspection of the ongoing renovations at McCarthy Stadium, Ikyange revealed that the governor has increased the budget for sports and youth development for 2025, clearly reflecting his commitment to nurturing the state’s youthful population.
He stated, “The reconstruction of McCarthy Stadium in Makurdi is expected to be completed by May 29, 2025, for commissioning.” The Commissioner assured the citizens that the contractor had committed to finishing the project on time.
Ikyange highlighted that this stadium reconstruction is the second major sports complex initiative undertaken by the Governor Alia-led administration within a year. “The Governor is passionate about sports and is dedicated to developing grassroots talent.
However, this cannot happen without adequate sports facilities,” he emphasized.
He added, “Football, in particular, requires proper playing pitches. We’ve seen scouts from outside the state and country struggle to find talent due to the lack of adequate facilities. Playing on subpar grounds cannot reveal the players’ true potential. This extends beyond just football.”
Moreover, the Commissioner shared that the government plans to broaden its sports infrastructure development to various local government areas across the state.
He noted, “After a year in office, the governor has revived the grassroots-based football tournament, the Governor’s Cup, which has successfully uncovered numerous talents.”
Earlier, Olayiwola Ibrahim, a representative of Pitch Perfect Construction Company, stated that the project was being carried out using high-quality materials in accordance with FIFA specifications.
He explained, “The stadium was in a very dilapidated state when we arrived; the pitch was just ordinary sand with no grass. We had to start from scratch, including re-grassing the pitch and remodeling the pavilion. We are now expanding from one pavilion to include both VIP and regular seating.”
Ibrahim confirmed that the re-grassing work is set to conclude next week, paving the way for other construction activities.
Our correspondent reports that the stadium is already taking on a new appearance with the re-grassing nearing completion.
