Jos Stadium Gets New Look Before APC Rally

The Jos International Stadium, located on Zaria Road in Jos, Plateau State, has gotten a fresh paint job ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally on Friday.

This has brought attention to the stadium, which has been incomplete for nearly 40 years. Various military and civilian governments have spent money and made promises to finish it, but the project remains unfinished.

General Lawrence Onoja's military government started the project in 1988 and gave a N10 million mobilization fee for the construction contract. After he left office, the project was abandoned, and later administrations faced challenges completing it.

Former Governor Joshua Dariye tried to revive the project during his time in office, but he could not finish it. When former Governor Jonah Jang took over in 2007, he also promised to complete the stadium and make it a major achievement of his administration.

Under his leadership, the stadium was redesigned to hold about 44,000 spectators. The goal was to finish the project by the end of 2013. The project was also expanded to add more sports facilities like basketball, hockey, and volleyball courts to meet international standards.

Despite these efforts and investments, the stadium was still not finished when Jang left office in 2015. A 2017 report by Sunday Tribune said that the project was about 70 percent complete under Jang, but the costs went up after changes were made.

The report also noted that some equipment bought for the stadium, including imported items, had been left unused for years because construction was delayed.

Over the years, different administrations promised to finish the stadium, but nearly four decades after the project started, the Jos International Stadium is still not in use.

The main stadium does not have completed spectator seating, and parts of the area are overgrown with bushes and weeds. Yet, the recent repainting within 48 hours of the upcoming APC campaign rally has drawn more attention to the stadium's long neglect.

This quick fix stands in stark contrast to the long delays that have plagued the stadium's construction. While the new paint job has improved its look, it does not solve the main issues that keep the stadium from meeting the sporting needs of Plateau State.

The stadium was meant to be a modern sports facility for the state, offering opportunities for young athletes, hosting big competitions, and attracting events that could boost the local economy. Instead, it has become an example of neglected public infrastructure, with each government failing to follow through on their promises.

The problem goes beyond the lack of seats or the overgrown area. It also includes the public funds spent on a project that has remained incomplete through various governmental changes.

The recent repainting highlights the difference between how quickly governments act for political events and the long delays in finishing projects meant for the public.

After nearly 40 years, the Jos International Stadium is still not done. For the people of Plateau State, a new coat of paint cannot replace a completed stadium.