FECAFOOT NW President Breaks Jinx on Ntaafi Proximity Stadium

Mbigha Njah Felix, President of the FECAFOOT North West

The President of FECAFOOT North West, Mbigha Njah Felix has acknowledged that the Bamenda proximity stadium will not be complete on December 31 as initially announced.

The President was speaking to the press on the eve of the date that was set aside to receive the modern stadium.

Mbigha noted that the construction works had some delays in their execution.

"This is the first proximity stadium that UNDP is constructing. So some technical details were left out of the tender. 

"For instance, the dressing room was envisaged to be constructed where the offices were to be found. This will mean players trekking for long either to enter the field or go for recess at half time." Mbigha highlighted.

Section to host the tribune and dressing room 

He went further to say that; " the field is supposed to have a synthetic turf, a multi-sport arena, and offices. This contract was divided into three lots. So when we discovered that some changes were to be made that affected the different contractors, we had to halt the project and reopen negotiations."

The final draft has been adopted by UNDP and will be presented to the contractors on January 4.

On-site, the entire field has been excavated and where the tribune will be constructed has been dug. 

Mbigha says they hope to finish the work in record time to allow Elite one teams to start playing in Bamenda.

Section to host the multi sports complex

On the issue of allowing Elite one teams to play in Bamenda, the President said for now there is no standard field in Bamenda where such matches can take place. He however encouraged them to work hard and win matches on the fields they selected at the start of the season.

Mbigha Felix also said the synthetic turf to be planted at the field is already in Bamenda and when the works resume, things will go faster.

Quizzed on the Bamenda Municipal stadium, the President said there is still a court injection and work cannot continue. He went further to state that the budget allocated for the stadium was all used but the works were not complete. That FECAFOOT does not have any documentation about the field in their possession and so it's difficult to re-engage the project.

The proximity stadium at PS Ntaafi is a fully funded UNDP project and FECAFOOT is the beneficiary.

Mbigha says other football infrastructure in the North West will be engaged in the months ahead.

By

Bangha Bernard