The Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium, Abakaliki, is currently undergoing manual re-grassing to put it in shape for the organisation of various sports competitions.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited the stadium on Wednesday, reports that sporting activities have been suspended on the pitch but were still being held on the tracks and terraces.
Mr Emmanuel Utobo, Ebonyi Director of Sports, told NAN that the manual work will include removal of unwanted grasses and replacing them with fresh ones.
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“We will also fill all holes on the pitch and the steady rains will assist in making the pitch ready as expected.
“We will use one week to execute the work and expect that the pitch will be ready within one month,” he said.
The director of sports said that the pitch could, however, host activities of utmost importance to the state when other alternatives could not be explored.
“We will return with repair works after such activity and make all necessary adjustments.
“We have educated all coaches and instructors of various sports to enlighten their athletes against encroaching on the pitch during this period,” he said.
He said that the re-grassing is to keep the stadium in shape to host soccer matches, especially for the state-owned teams which will soon be floated.
“We are expecting the new international stadium being constructed by the government but we have to put the existing one in shape.
“We will also effect the full re-grassing of the pitch when the modalities are ready,” he said. (NAN)