The mythical stadium rehabilitated by the Japanese will be handed over to the Cameroonian government by the end of the month.
Renovation work is near completion at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde, leaving the mythical football arena nothing to envy from any football stadium across the world.
The green turf of the stadium has been replaced, fissures on the edifice repaired and a fresh coat of paint respecting the national colours of green, red and yellow, applied on the stands.
The renovation work has been carried out by a Japanese construction company, Nissoken Architects/Engineering, to the tune of some CFA 1.5 billion provided by the Japanese ministry of external cooperation.
The renovation work also included the construction of toilets in the stadium and the establishment of electronic score boards within the stadium. The press cabin has also been renovated and equipped to enable journalists carry out their duty with ease. When the renovation work shall be completed at the end of the month, the stadium for the first time will be equipped with chairs. The Japanese had intended to put seat numbers on the tribunes directly but for the decision by the Cameroon government to have the stadium equipped with seats for the first time in history. A project which was entrusted to a Cameroonian company, CAMCONSEILS, which has embarked on putting 40.000 chairs on the stadium as from next Thursday. The Japanese intend to put 486 seats at the presidential tribune whereas the rest will be done by CAMCONSEILS. The colour of the chairs shall march with the colour of the tribune and the seat numbers affixed directly behind the chairs. They shall also carry messages or the logos of companies that shall finance them.
However, the stadium shall only be opened for use by the public by the end of the year for fear of damaging the green turf of the field. The only handicap is with the lighting system which has not been touched by the Japanese as it wasn’t included in the initial contract signed between Cameroon and Japan.
It is expected that the renovated Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium shall be inaugurated by either a Cameroon-Japan friendly match or on the occasion of the Cup of Cameroon to be presided by the President of the Republic, in person.
Fred VUBEM, CT
