By Philip Yatai

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says the IBB International Golf and Country Club will be renovated and upgraded to international standard.

Wike disclosed this when he visited the club in Abuja on  Saturday, to assess the facilities.

He said that the renovation would begin with the Club House, where golfers wine, dine and unwind stress, under emergency intervention.

The minister added that the other sections of the club would be renovated and upgraded in phases.

He said that the renovation would be handled by Julius Berger construction company, which built the facilities in 1991.

He said that the club would remained closed until the renovation was concluded, in order to prevent it from degenerating.

“It is better we put the place in order quickly, so that when people come in, they will have where they can relax, have their drinks and rest.

According to him, making the club a tourist centre will attract investments.

“However, I want to advise the Board of Trustees (BOT) to initiate some innovative ideas for revenue generation to maintain the club instead of depending wholly on the government,” he said.

The minister explained that the BoT and the Interim Management Committee (IMC) were constituted to manage the club as government property.

He said that the step became necessary because government is not a good manager of facilities.

He urged the BoT and the IMC members to work as a team towards uplifting the standard of the club to international standard.

“That’s why we will not allow anybody to take what belongs to us. We will not allow that.

“Any move to sabotage what we are doing will not be tolerated,” he said.

Earlier, the BoT Chairperson, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, appealed to Wike to renovate the club and upgrade its standard to be at par with the rehabilitated Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.

Dongban-Mensem, who is the President of the Court of Appeal, recalled that the club was built by the Federal Government and opened to the public in 1991.

She added that the club, which began with 29 members, has, at the moment, 5,000 members using same facilities.

She pointed out that the facilities at the club has worn-out due to excessive use over the years.

According to her, if upgraded, the  facility will become a tourist attraction site and in the long run, boost the economy of the country. (NAN)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi