The international construction company, Green Filed and Somali football federation held crucial talks on completing the reconstruction work of Somalia’s oldest football facility, the Banadir Stadium, top SFF official revealed here on Thursday.

Somali football federation general secretary Abdi Qani said Arab told reporters on Thursday that he met with Green Field’s project manager Mr. Sophocles this week at the Sheraton Hotel in Dubai and they talked about completing the old Stadium reconstruction.

 

“During the meeting we asked the company to quicken the rebuilding work and although the security situation in Mogadishu is not good we mutually understood each other that a big joint work is necessary” the General Secretary said.

 

On behalf of the name of Somali football federation the general secretary pledged to the company that SFF will cover all local needs with the help of Somali sports ministry and the nation’s sporting family.

 

Green Field’s project manager Mr. Sophocles said that his company is committed to completing the old stadium reconstruction before the end of the year.

 

“As soon as possible we want to send engineers to Mogadishu so that they can make evaluation before shaping it with the artificial football turf in the next step and we are very hopeful of smooth end of the stadium Banadir reconstruction” the project manager told during a meeting with Somali football federation general secretary this week.

 

He praised the local construction firm and the Somali football federation dignitaries of doing a good job since the construction started late last year.

 

“I can describe the SFF authorities who work in a lawless country where even life is impossible as hero professionals” Mr. Sophocle stated during his meeting with Somali football General secretary.

 

Built in 1956 by the Italian Olympic committee, the Stadium Banadir is currently being reconstructed under the FIFA funded project  “Win in Africa with Africa” artificial football turf which Somalia worn ast year.

The old stadium which was not repaired since early 1980s was  one of loveliest football faciities in Africa late in 1950s and early in 1960s, according to Abdullahi Huusein Baskuwaale who was one of the first Somali team to exhibit in the Stadium after the end of its construction in 1956. 

The reconstruction of stadium Banadir started nearly a year ago, and was supposed to conclude by early this year but the insecurity here in Mogadishu is one of the major difficulties that caused the work to halt.

 

Stadium Banadir locates in Abdel Aziz district in the north east of the city where witnesses nearly daily armed confrontations between Somali government forces and Islamist rebels who are in control of most of south-central Somalia and about two thirds of the lawless capital Mogadishu.

 

 

Somali football Media Department

 

Email: somalifootballmedia@gmail.com

 

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