Kano — The two earlier pitches slated for training by teams in the ongoing Under-17 World Youth Soccer Championship, Gwagwarawa Town Stadium and Bayero University (BUK), Kano which were later dumped by FIFA due to their poor state of preparedness, will be completed in due course.

Minister of Sports Engineer Mohammed Sani Ndanusa who spoke to newsmen at the Tahir Guest Palace on his way to Bauchi to attend the Golden Eaglet versus Argentina match, allayed the fears of Nigerians that the two projects will be abandoned

It would be recalled that a contract was awarded for the upgrading of the stadia for a very huge amount to Mallorca Nigeria Limited over six months before the commencement of the tournament, and after several visits by FIFA to ascertain its worthiness, only disappointment awaited them.

And though in order not to allow the issue of training pitches be a stumbling block to Nigeria 's hosting of the cadet tournament, FIFA, which had earlier insisted that four training pitches should be provided at each of the centres, later reduced it to two.

As a result, the world football governing body approved Sani Abacha Stadium, the main venue of the matches as a training pitch, as well as Kano Pillars Stadium, while declaring Gwagwarawa and BUK pitches unfit.

When Vice President Goodluck Jonathan visited Kano about three days to the commencement of cadet soccer fiesta, he informed an elated LOC in Kano and state government officials that FIFA had invoked the clause that allowed two minimum training pitches instead of four, to approve Kano as a centre.

It was gathered that work on the pitches had ground to a halt, as contractors abandoned both sites almost two months before the commencement of the Under-17 championship, due to non-release of funds to continue the projects.

However, Ndanusa had assured that work would resume on the pitches soon, saying that the people of Kano had nothing to fear, since the projects would also serve as an avenue for discovering and harnessing future stars for the nation.

The minister further advised that there was no cause for any ill-feelings, enjoining the people of the state to repose confidence in the LOC and government, as all projects started for the sake of the tournament would be completed.