It has been over a year since the National Heroes Stadium — which officially opened in 2014 and was built at a total cost of $94 million — was closed for renovations following its deplorable state. The facility, one of Zambia’s two CAF-certified stadiums, has been undergoing major works after falling into disrepair, according to the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts.
The government has faced criticism from sections of the public who feel it has neglected the country’s biggest multipurpose stadium, whose pitch was completely removed, and the roof is tearing apart.
Responding to the critics, Minister of Youth, Sport, and Arts Elvis Nkandu said progress is being made at the stadium.
“Right now, I think we are done with the feeding of the sand because I think that’s where we started from. We have filled the sand on the pitch,” Nkandu told reporters in Ndola last Sunday when he was inspecting the installation of new bucket seats at the Levy Mwanawansa stadium.
He continued: “And also, we’re now testing the sprinklers, which we have successfully done. Now, what we are about to do is now to do with the stitching. I’m sure the next week or two, we’re going to receive the stitching machine. So when the stitching machine arrives, then we’ll be able to see the grass now being stitched there. And, obviously, we’ll start now the nature of the grass.”
New grass expected within two months
Nkandu added that he expects grass to grow on the pitch within the next two months.
“So we have given ourselves, I think, a target of two months to see that we have grass now in the pitch itself. So very soon, I think the stadium will never be the same. We’ll have a very nice turf and a modern one, for that matter. So that’s where we are now,” concluded Nkandu.
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Good move ba Honerable