Mr Patrick Ukah, Delta Commissioner for Information on Monday blasted the critics of the state government for hosting the African Senior Athletics Championship, tagged Asaba 2018.

The commissioner who spoke to newsmen during a  Ministerial Press briefing in Asaba, described as unfortunate criticisms  of government investment in  ensuring the construction and completion of the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba to host the tournament.

“Nobody must castigate us for hosting the championship because we were on track.

“We have great satisfaction with the Stadium. We know we have a few things to fix and we will continue  to ensure that the facilities that needed to be put in place are completed,” Ukah said.

He said that the equipment for the score board and the flood light were already on the ground, adding that government would ensure that those things were fixed.

He lauded the local journalists for their disposition, adding that the stadium belongs to them and that more activities would begin to take place for them participate in and cover.

“Some personalities in the state have made derogatory comments but I sympathise with them because they know nothing about public administration”.

Ukah said critics who dismissed the stadium as a waste of money  must have their heads examined, in view of the magnitude of the tournament and the economic benefits to the state.

According to him, government deserves commendation for completing the 22,000 capacity Stadium that  was abandoned for over 10 years.

The commissioner also said that the medical equipment deployed in the stadium was better than what obtains in hospitals in the country.

“There is no hotel that was not fully booked in  Asaba. Most people did not believe that the traffic will be controlled the way we did.

“For us who love sports and for us who love Asaba, the capital of the state, we all know that things have changed.

“Nobody believed that people in Delta can pay N1,000 to watch the event from day one to closing.

“Throughout the tournament we were happy, there was no injury, no casualty and the evacuation of the athletes was done smoothly.

“We take exception to people who will come out to tell lies to people. We are happy, the Asaba people and those who live and are from this territory are happy.

“We are happy as government that we have delivered that stadium and now a lot of people will show interest and come out to do sports,” the commissioner said.

He said that the government would soon  roll out its monthly sports plans and activities for the stadium.(NAN)