By AHMAD BABANDI GAMA
The newly inaugurated Kano State Sports Commission Board has commenced efforts to reposition sports infrastructure in the state with a two-day inspection tour of major government-owned sports facilities under its supervision.
Led by the Commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Tukur Babangida, the Board visited several facilities last weekend to assess their current condition and identify those requiring urgent rehabilitation, renovation and maintenance.
The inspection was the Board’s first major field assignment following its inaugural meeting and was intended to give its members a firsthand assessment of the facilities rather than relying solely on official reports.
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The tour began at the Gwagwarwa Mini Stadium, from where the delegation proceeded to Ado Bayero Square in Sabon Gari and the Kano Pillars Stadium.
The team later inspected the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kofar Mata, one of Kano’s major sporting landmarks, before ending the first day at the Mahaha Sports Complex in Kofar Na’isa.
At Mahaha, the Board members were taken around the complex by the centre’s supervisor, who briefed them on the condition of the facilities and the challenges affecting their effective utilisation.
The second day began with a visit to the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Mini Stadium in Dawakin Kudu.
The delegation then proceeded to the Wudil Sports Centre before rounding off the exercise at the Race Course Horse Riding Ground in Nassarawa GRA, where the Board inspected the fields and other facilities.
Speaking after the tour, Babangida said the exercise was necessary to enable the Commission to have a comprehensive understanding of the condition of sports facilities across the state.
He said the findings would guide the Commission in determining the level of renovation, rehabilitation and maintenance required at each facility.
According to him, the Commission’s objective goes beyond repairing deteriorated facilities. It also wants to establish a sustainable maintenance culture that will ensure the facilities remain functional after rehabilitation.
Babangida reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano State Government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to developing sports and providing a conducive environment for athletes and other stakeholders.
He said the Commission would continue to take necessary steps to maintain and upgrade facilities under its supervision to acceptable standards.
The Chairman also stressed that regular maintenance and continuous upgrading of sporting infrastructure would be critical to the government’s efforts to reposition sports in Kano.
The inspection has given the new Board an opportunity to see the actual state of the facilities and understand the challenges confronting them. However, the real test will come after the inspection.
For a state with Kano’s long history and tradition of sporting excellence, the poor condition of some of its sports facilities has remained a major concern among athletes, coaches, administrators and other stakeholders.
The Board must therefore ensure that the exercise does not end with inspection reports and recommendations.
What sports stakeholders will be looking for now is a clear and realistic rehabilitation and maintenance plan, with priorities based on the urgency and importance of each facility.
Beyond rehabilitation, the Commission must also develop a sustainable system for managing and maintaining the facilities so that they can be fully utilised throughout the year.
Proper utilisation could generate revenue for the Commission while also providing athletes, clubs, schools and other sports organisations with better facilities for training and competitions.
The success of the new Board will ultimately be measured not by the number of facilities it visits, but by the improvements it delivers after identifying their problems.
The Chairman was accompanied during the tour by the Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Bashir Maizare, and the Head of the Stadiums and Facilities Department, Aliyu Ado Yusif.
Other Board members who participated in the inspection included Wamban Karaye, Alhaji Balarabe Surajo, Alhaji Ibrahim Abba, Ahmad Surajo, Aminu Ahmad Tudun Wada and Sunusi Ismail Falgore.
Ahmad Babandi Gama is the Media and Publicity Assistant to the Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission.
