Govt wary of facility care

Minister of Youth and Sports Richard Chimwendo Banda says government is planning to introduce a special directorate to take care of sports facilities.

The minister was responding to a question on how government will maintain newly-constructed facilities such as the state-of-the-art Griffin Saenda Indoor Sports Complex and the Aquatic Centre at Kamuzu Institute for Sports when it is struggling to look after the Bingu National Stadium.

He said: “That is a matter of urgency to us and it is being looked into.

“But we are planning to come up with a special directorate meant to take care of these facilities.

“To maintain quality, these facilities need special attention and it applies to others as well such as Bingu National Stadium.

“So, a department responsible for sports infrastructure will be ideal and that is the route we are taking, otherwise it will be a challenge.”

Sports analyst Humphrey Mvula said government can consider leasing the facilities to the private sector.

He said: “That observation is more than correct because we have examples of such iconic infrastructure projects that are under-utilised.

“So, while government can continue to exercise its oversight role in ensuring high standards, they can lease it to an institution or to a company with historical expertise to run it as a business provided the lease should ensure that the facility will be available to Malawians at a small fee.”

“I just hope that when coming with this beautiful project, needs assessment and viability of the project was carried out by our government, otherwise it might attract limited usage; hence, becoming another white elephant.”

On his part, sports analyst Charles Nyirenda also said to ensure that the facilities remain in tip-top shape, government needs to rope in private partners.

He said: “A good example would be those who run sports clubs in Lilongwe at an agreed fee so that their members, under controlled conditions, can have access to the facilities while at the same time ensuring that they remain usable and tidy as well.

“There is a swimming association also which could be quite useful in providing guidance on how to move forward. The Public-Private Partnership has to be put to the test right away.

“It has worked well in the hospitality industry where government uses franchises to run the likes of Sunbird Mount Soche, Sunbird Capital and BICC [Bingu International Conference Centre].”

Nyirenda said it is possible to replicate such arrangement to cater for the sports facilities.

“Otherwise, letting public servants to take charge is the fastest way of ensuring quick deterioration of these infrastructures that have cost the taxpayer dearly to erect,” he said.

Last year, Confederation of African Football banned Bingu National Stadium from hosting 2022 World Cup qualifiers for failing to meet requirements such as maintaining the pitch, clean and decent dressing rooms and sanitary facilities.

One of the reasons cited for poor maintenance was inadequate funding and then Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs chairperson Savel Kafwafwa then pledged to lobby Parliament to consider increasing sports budget, especially for BNS.

But the minister said for now government has no plans of leasing the facilities as the works have not been fully completed.

“The works that have been done at both facilities are at 85 percent, meaning we cannot sub-contract until we finish,” he said.