President Adama Barrow has described as “unfortunate” the long delay to renovation of the country’s Independence Stadium.  

Barrow made the statement as he toured the stadium on Tuesday.

“It’s a shame for all of us that we were given a [sic] millions grant and we cannot maintain [the stadium]. I think that’s really unfortunate. I think the best way to develop this country, we have to have a plan for sustainability,” he told reporters.

The Gambia’s only national stadium is undergoing a major upgrade after it was deemed unfit to host football matches. 

The stadium is one of several national stadiums in Africa banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for not meeting international standards. 

At lease 160 million dalasis have been spent on renovating the stadium. However, a CAF inspection team who visited the country in August said the stadium despite ongoing renovation work is still “not fit to host professional football matches”.

The Independence Stadium was built in 1984 by the Jawara government and there has never been any major upgrade until recently when CAF questioned its suitability to host matches. 

As a result of the ban, Gambia’s international matches are played abroad mostly in Morocco and recently in Tanzania. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba