{"id":40637,"date":"2024-12-04T15:48:19","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T15:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast"},"modified":"2024-12-04T16:31:58","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T16:31:58","slug":"4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast","title":{"rendered":"4 Years In, National Stadium Renovation Still a Distant Dream-Citizens blast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. <\/strong><\/span>The long-delayed renovation of Sierra Leone\u2019s National Stadium has sparked growing frustration among the public, with many labeling the project a \u201cwhite elephant.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

The renovation, which began in 2019, is still far from completion after four years, leaving fans and stakeholders questioning its progress.<\/p>\n

In interviews with local soccer enthusiasts, many expressed their dissatisfaction with the prolonged delays. \u201cWe are tired of the wait,\u201d said one fan. \u201cSports, especially football, is dying, and the renovation is still not done. It\u2019s a disappointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project, funded by China, has faced multiple setbacks, with the stadium remaining under construction and unable to host major events. Fans are concerned about the lack of progress, which they believe is hindering the development of sports in the country.<\/p>\n

On November 28, 2024, the Ministry of Sports engaged in discussions with a Chinese delegation led by Ambassador Wang Qing. The talks focused on the completion of the National Stadium\u2019s rehabilitation, with a shared goal of modernizing the venue to meet international standards. Ambassador Wang reaffirmed China\u2019s commitment to advancing the renovation and expanding the stadium\u2019s seating capacity to accommodate global events.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are dedicated to ensuring that the National Stadium becomes a state-of-the-art facility, preserving its historical significance while elevating it to a venue suitable for international competitions,\u201d Ambassador Wang stated.<\/p>\n

The meeting also highlighted the project\u2019s importance to Sierra Leone\u2019s national identity and its role in promoting sports development. Minister of Sports Madam Augusta James-Teima and National Sports Authority Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai emphasized the stadium\u2019s significance as a symbol of national pride and an opportunity to showcase the country\u2019s potential on the world stage.<\/p>\n

Dr. Abdulai remarked, \u201cThis renovation represents a renewed chance for Sierra Leone to make its mark globally. It is more than just about physical infrastructure \u2013 it is a vital step toward revitalizing sports in our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite these assurances, no official date has been announced for the reopening of the stadium. With the public growing increasingly impatient, there is mounting pressure on both the government and the Chinese partners to finalize the renovations and deliver the upgraded facility.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Sierra-Leone<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. The long-delayed renovation of Sierra Leone\u2019s National Stadium has sparked growing frustration among the public, with many labeling the project a \u201cwhite elephant.\u201d The renovation, which began in 2019, is still far from completion after four years, leaving fans and stakeholders questioning its progress. In interviews with local soccer enthusiasts, many expressed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":40636,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,17],"tags":[292],"class_list":["post-40637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-sierra-leone"],"yoast_head":"\n4 Years In, National Stadium Renovation Still a Distant Dream-Citizens blast - Sierra Leone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The long-delayed renovation of Sierra Leone\u2019s National Stadium has sparked growing frustration among the public, with ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4 Years In, National Stadium Renovation Still a Distant Dream-Citizens blast\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The long-delayed renovation of Sierra Leone\u2019s National Stadium has sparked growing frustration among the public, with ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sierra Leone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-12-04T15:48:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-04T16:31:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/sites\/16\/2024\/12\/sm_1733317064.210703.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"528\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"4 Years In, National Stadium Renovation Still a Distant Dream-Citizens blast\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-04T15:48:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-04T16:31:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast\"},\"wordCount\":378,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/sites\/16\/2024\/12\/sm_1733317064.210703.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Sierra-Leone\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/sierra-leone\/all-news\/4-years-in-national-stadium-renovation-still-a-distant-dream-citizens-blast\",\"name\":\"4 Years In, National Stadium Renovation Still a Distant Dream-Citizens blast - 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