By Sports Recorder
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to completing all necessary projects to ensure the state successfully hosts the 2028 National Sports Festival (NSF).
Governor Diri gave the assurance on Tuesday at Government House, Yenagoa, when he received the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and his team, who were on a facility inspection tour.
The governor noted that Bayelsa had matured into a viable host for the festival, citing his administration’s massive investments in sports development and infrastructure. He highlighted the construction of a 25,000-capacity stadium—expandable to 35,000—as a major step toward addressing the challenge of inadequate facilities, which had previously hindered the state’s chances.
He disclosed that 30 per cent of the stadium’s construction cost had already been paid, assuring that funding would not obstruct timely completion. The contractor, he added, had committed to delivering the project by 2027.
Beyond infrastructure, Governor Diri stressed that security had been strengthened across the state through the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras for 24-hour surveillance, leading to significant crime reduction.
“Today is historic in the sporting history of Bayelsa State. We are prepared to host the National Sports Festival. The only issue we had was facility, but we are addressing it. Our state is peaceful, our people are hospitable, and we have invested heavily in grassroots sports development,” the governor said.
He cited initiatives such as the Governor’s Prosperity Cup, wrestling competitions, and the establishment of one of Nigeria’s top table tennis facilities as proof of the state’s sporting pedigree.
In his remarks, NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade, commended the state’s preparations, describing Bayelsa as “an amazingly peaceful and beautiful state” with enormous sporting potential.
“Bayelsa presented an impressive bid for the 2028 sports festival. From the facilities we inspected—security infrastructure, medical facilities, wrestling gyms, table tennis halls, and the new stadium—there is no doubt Bayelsa is ready. In fact, the state could even host the event today,” Olopade remarked.
Also speaking, Bayelsa’s Commissioner for Sports Development, and Olympic wrestling champion, Daniel Igali, lauded Governor Diri for prioritizing sports, saying his efforts had elevated the state’s global image. He assured that if given the hosting rights, Bayelsa would stage one of the best editions of the NSF.
