Sports commission ejects illegal squatters at Calabar stadium

The Cross River Sports Commission has begun the eviction of illegal

squatters at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

The Chairman of the Commission, Orok Duke, who disclosed this on Monday in Calabar, during an interaction with Journalists, said that the action had become necessary in view of the 2016 National Sports Festival which the state would host in November.

He said that the original design of the stadium was meant to accommodate the secretariats of the various sports associations, to enable them to be able to perform their duties.

Unfortunately, due to shortcomings in sports development over the years, these offices have been rented out to people for monetary gain.

So we are just out to restore that which had been bastardised, especially now that we are about to host the National Sports Festival.

The state will take part in 27 sporting events during the festival, hence the need to create offices for the 27 sports associations.

Duke said that the commission has approved the construction of two boreholes at the stadium, to cater for the environmental needs of the stadium, as well as the proper maintenance of the pitches.

“We want to make the grass green. We are just trying to do now what we ought to have been doing as a sports commission, ‘’ he said.

Some of the people ejected were occupying caravans, shops and other make-shift apartments at the stadium.

One of the occupants of a caravan and a sports consultant to the state government, Bruce Ijirigho, who was evicted, said he was not informed before the action was taken.

Bruce described the action of the commission as `unfair’.