The Special Adviser to Delta State Governor on Project Monitoring and Audit, Engr. Dr. Goodnews Agbi, has expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the ongoing remodelling of the Warri Stadium, giving the assurance that it will be ready for commissioning before the scheduled date.
Agbi stated this during project monitoring with his team of engineers to ascertain the true position of work by the contractors handling the project.
Speaking with newsmen at the project site, Agbi said the project monitoring visit was to have firsthand information on how work was going at the stadium.
In his words: “We started by checking the invert level of the drains taking water from the stadium to the discharge point, and we found out that there is no residual water along the drains, which means the invert level is very okay.”
Agbi recalled that before the reconstruction of the stadium by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the stadium used to be flooded even when a football competition was ongoing.
According to him, “Before now, you know that this stadium is always flooded, and at times when they played matches, you see people playing matches inside water, but I can tell you now that with the renovation, the stadium will not be flooded again. The whole of the stadium has been lifted by 400mm. So, no matter the amount of rain, it would be drained out, including the surrounding.”
“So what we are going to have very soon is a brand new stadium that when you come to watch matches, you will not recognize it.
“We came specifically to know, and we have confirmed that the discharge is very okay, they have worked ahead of the scheduled time, and the work is superb”, he said.
The Director-General, Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency (WUEDA), Godwin Ejinyere, who was also present at the site, promised to work in synergy with the contractors to help desilt the drain and ensure safety of the structure.
“Now that we are working in synergy with the contractor, before they round up properly, we will work out a maintenance programme for periodic desilting of the drains to the canal. When we checked the drains, the water is flowing, but it could be better”, he averred.
