Governor Douye Diri on Tuesday assured that Bayelsa State would be fully prepared to host the 2028 National Sports Festival. He gave the assurance while receiving the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and his inspection team at Government House, Yenagoa.
Diri explained that inadequate sporting facilities had previously stood in the way of Bayelsa’s hosting ambitions, but his administration has since invested heavily in infrastructure, including the ongoing construction of a 25,000-capacity ultramodern stadium, expandable to 35,000 seats.
“We are more than ready to host the National Sports Festival. The only challenge we had was infrastructure, but that is being resolved. The stadium project is on course, with 30 percent already paid to the contractor, who is working round the clock to deliver,” the governor said.
The NSC delegation inspected several key facilities such as wrestling gyms, table tennis halls, medical centres, security systems, and the new stadium. Following the tour, Olopade described Bayelsa’s presentation as one of the strongest in recent memory.
“Bayelsa submitted an impressive bid. The state is clearly intentional about hosting the festival. From what we’ve seen, Bayelsa is even capable of hosting the event today, ahead of the scheduled year,” he remarked.
Governor Diri also pointed to enhanced security measures in the state, including the installation of CCTV cameras across Yenagoa, which he said has helped curb crime.
“This is a historic moment for Bayelsa. As a former Commissioner for Sports, I’m delighted that our bid has gained NSC’s recognition. Bayelsa is peaceful, hospitable, and we warmly welcome visitors,” he added.
Commissioner for Sports Development, Daniel Igali, commended the governor’s unwavering commitment to sports and praised the NSC delegation for its professionalism throughout the inspection exercise.