Lagos State Sports Trust Fund targets six weeks for Rowe Park upgrade

The Lagos State Sports Trust Fund has given the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Indoor Hall and Squash Courts Hall at Rowe Park Sports Centre in Yaba, Lagos, to the contractor. They expect the work to be finished in six weeks.

This facility has important sports infrastructure, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts. It is a hub for athletes and sports lovers in Lagos.

During the handover on the weekend, LSSTF Chairman Wahid Oshodi stressed the need to complete the Indoor Hall and Squash Courts by the end of September. This is to prepare for the first National Intermediate Games happening in Lagos from October 1 to 15.

"The main purpose of today’s event is to formally hand over the complex to the contractor. Work has been going on gradually, but now we expect full speed ahead so that the facilities will be ready in a couple of months," Oshodi said.

He called Rowe Park a key place for sports and recreation in Lagos. It has served many generations of athletes and residents.

"Most importantly, the Indoor Hall must be completed, and the Squash Courts, untouched for over a decade, must be revived. Many people rely on this facility, and we want them to have cause to smile again," he added.

Oshodi also pointed out the need for proper maintenance. He mentioned that the Lagos State Sports Commission’s facilities management department would now work with professional sports facility managers.

"Rowe Park is the heartbeat of sports in Lagos and, by extension, Nigeria. Generations of athletes, including legends like Hakeem Olajuwon, honed their skills here. That culture must continue. The facilities just need upgrading.

"We began with the swimming pool, which is now Olympic-size, and we are grateful to the governor and our sponsors for their support," he said.

Niyi Lawal, representing Intemol Consult Limited, assured everyone that the project would be delivered on time. He said the company would bring in more workers and extend working hours to meet the deadline.

"We have done it before, we successfully handled the swimming pool project. Although the initial timeline was three months, we are determined to shorten it to two.

"We will work day and night, adding extra hours and personnel if necessary, to meet the deadline," he affirmed.