The rehabilitation works at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe have commenced with the hope of having the ban imposed on the facility by Football Association of Malawi (FAM) lifted.
Last month, the association banned Civo and Mzuzu stadiums from hosting high-profile matches after establishing several anomalies.
Civo Stadium manager Christopher Grant Longwe said in an interview yesterday that works are in progress at the facility.
He said: “We are working to replace the fence, goal posts, nets and also rehabilitating the toilets.
“So far, there has been good progress as government has assigned a contractor who was doing the rehabilitation works last year,” he said.
On his part, Mzuzu Stadium manager MacDonald Gondwe said they are in the process of procuring materials and they expect works to commence in due course.
He said: “We have already started working on the pitch, which needs upgrading through addition of top soil and massive watering, among others.
“We have banned all public activities at the stadium. We are now in the process of procuring materials for the latrines, VIP stand and other areas. We hope to complete the works in October and then engage FAM for re-inspection.”
He said as a council, they can’t do all that is required at once because of financial limitations.
Said Gondwe: “To completely refurbish the stadium requires lots of money. But for urgent needs like pitch upgrading, we have budgeted about K5 million.
“Nevertheless, we will be working on other areas one by one depending on resource availability.”
Ministry of Youth and Sports spokesperson Macmillan Mwale said they have engaged Civo Stadium management to understand reasons for the ban and progress made.
“For Civo, engagement was done and the main problem were toilets. Currently, a contractor is on site working on the toilets and perimeter wire and has assured as that they will be through by next week,” he said.
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