The Ghanian Chronicle reports that the Abuja 2014 Commonwealth Games bid committee has made a strong presentation to Ghana Olympic Committee regarding its readiness to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Dr. A. T. Yusuf, Secretary of the Abuja 2014 Commonwealth Games bid committee, told a press conference in Accra Monday “we are not bidding to host on sentiments but we think it high time Africa hosted it for the first time. We have all it takes to the hosting of a successful competition. The facilities are ready. As we have to do is to upgrade them”.
Meanwhile the Nigeria Commonwealth Games bid committee told Nigeriansportsonline.com that Nigeria won’t incur any expense building infrastructure should Abuja win the bid against Glasgow.
According to the committee all that has to be built is a new swimming pool for diving and a new Games Village.
Tony Nezianya, Nigeria Olympic Games NOC Public Relations Manager, said “right now we have a national stadium that has athletics facilities built right from design beside the football patch. And you know that athletics is the major event of the Commonwealth Games. So facilities wise, we have 70 per cent mark or advantage in this regard.
“Besides, we are not going to have a cost overrun which means we are not going to incur much expenses far above or in excess of the original budget in the provision of new facilities.
“Rather, what we will do is to build a new swimming pool for diving and a new Games Village within the Abuja environs and of course at a distance not more than 20 minutes drive even though the rule stipulates about thirty minutes drive to the events venue”.
He added that Nigeria has a huge advantage over Glasgow in the area of facilities, especially in the cost overrun.
Sani Badamasi, head of the delegation visiting Accra, said Abuja has put strategic measures in place to ensure that they take hosting the competition to the next level. He said they will be touring all the 71 participating countries, and “indications are that we are the likely host of the forthcoming competition”.
But Glasgow is continuing with its bid in a unique way. According to the Associated Press a representative from EventsScotland, an agency collaborating with the city of Glasgow in its 2014 Commonwealth Games, is at the SportAccord convention in Beijing where Glasgow has a stand to promote its bid.
The Scots are giving out sips of single-malt whiskies at the convention and Rebecca Edser, who works for the agency said, “it gets people to the stand”.
