Date Published: 08/20/11

Ogun outlaws sale of alcohol at stadiums

Ogun State Government has asked all shop owners at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta to comply with the rules and regulations governing the FIFA stadiums worldwide on non-sales of Alcohol.

The state Commissioner for Youths and Sports,Mr. Gbenga Otenuga, said a letter from FIFA clearly indicated that the state government was "contravening the rules and regulations guiding stadiums on the sale of alcohol; alcohol cannot be sold within a stadium; only food can be sold within certain metres from the stadium."

According to him, "the present government in Ogun State believes in the rule of law. We don't have plan to operate two laws in the state and we will always do the right thing to make the people of Ogun State comfortable. We have given the shop owners a 14-day ultimatum from the day of receipt of the quit notice. We are determined to renovate, upgrade and reorganise the stadium to meet up with the FIFA rules."

The commissioner further stated that about 95 per cent of the shop owners had not paid their rent dues up to date.

 “However, the shop owners have been in touch with us and we are currently engaging them," he said.

The state Ministry of Youths and Sports had on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 given a quit notice to all the shop owners at the MKO Abiola International Stadium.