The Edo Government said on Thursday that it would buy 100 buses to boost the fleet of buses under the State Transport Service, to ensure a seamless transport system during the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) to be hosted in the state capital.
Ebomhiana Musa, Secretary of the Publicity and Communication Sub-Committee disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin.
He said that the state government planned to host the best sports festival ever in the history of the games.
Musa said this accounts for the reason why the state government had assembled the most-competent human capital in the various committees that have been charged with the responsibility of organising the games.
Musa, who is also the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, who doubles as the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the games, said that the government was not leaving anything to chance to host successful games.
He said the need to procure more buses is to ensure that the games officials, athletes and visitors at the festival would be able to commute easily and in comfort, between the various designated points for the games.
“The Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has disclosed that the process for the procurement of the buses is already on, and that it is just a matter of time before they are delivered in the state capital,’’ he said.
Musa further said that the state government is providing world-class facilities for the games which is scheduled for between March and April 2020.
According to him, “As I speak, the contractor handling the reconstruction work at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium is putting finishing touches in some of the facilities and the facilities will be the test- run before the end-of-year.
“Part of the facilities provided include the complete resurfacing of the playing field from artificial grass to natural grass, all the covered stands, and a modern press gallery and VIP stand.
“Others are the re-modeling of the Swimming Pools, the Lawn Tennis Courts, the Squash Courts, and the Gymnasium, among others.
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The 2020 National Sports Festival, tagged “Edo 2020,’’ is scheduled to open in Benin on Friday, March 22 and close on Friday, April 3, 2019.