David GOMBE
The contractors of Hoima City Stadium, SUMMA have officially have today handed over the iconic multi-sports complex to the National Council of Sports (NCS).
NCS are the representatives of government designated to prevail over this and indeed all other sports facilities in the country, and they officially received the facility in the presence of their supervisors, the Ministry of Education and Sports, as well as the Ministry of Works and Transport, who have been the supervising consultants of the project.
Representing Permanent Secretary Dr Kedrace Turyagenda, Ministry of Education and Sports Commissioner of Physical Education & Sports Rev. Canon Dr. Duncans Mugumya presided over the technical handover, during which Ministry of Works Commissioner for Public Structures Eng. Edward Ssimbwa, also representing his Permanent Secretary Waiswa Bageya, presented contractors MS SUMMA with a certification of completion.
SUMMA’s Project Manager Murat Altun, who had taken NCS and the other representatives of ministries, departments and agencies of government toured different components of the facility, then handed over the instruments to NCS Board Chairperson Ambrose Tashobya, to crown the handover process.
Flanking Tashobya on this momentous milestone were his Board Members Moses Omara Anyii, Hajji Zubair Galiwango, Stephen Kiprotich, Piloya Evelyn Gloria and Cecilia Anyakoit, as well as the NCS General Secretary Dr Bernard Patrick Ogwel, and his Top Management Team.
Dr Mugumya, Chairman Tashobya and Dr Ogwel all voiced their immense gratitude towards President Museveni and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, for their strong will in ensuring that the Hoima dream became a reality, their unwavering support and oversight extending to full financial backing of this iconic project.
NCS General Secretary Patrick Bernard Ogwel hailed contractors SUMMA for the commitment, tireless work, efficiency, speed and quality that saw the Turkish firm deliver the $129m signature infrastructure project a whole five months ahead of the projected 18-month timelines.
They were also full of praise for Project Manager Eng. Ivan Gombya and his team of engineers and other technical experts from Works, for a supervision job very well done.
Among those to witness the handover were Special Presidential Assistant (Education and Sports) Gunter Lange, Assistant Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports Sammy Odongo, and other government representatives from the different MDAs, as well as the leadership of Hoima City led by Resident City Commissioner Badru Mugabi and Mayor Brian Kaboyo.
The facility will be commissioned by His Excellency the President of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Museveni, on Christmas Eve.
The stadium has a 2000-seater modern indoor arena, semi Olympic size swimming pool, a training pitch, 1000 plus car park, outdoor courts, offices, fully equipped gym among others.
Kitara FC and KCCA FC are the two teams selected to open the stadium in a friendly match on Wednesday.