With 16 days to the opening ceremony of the 2022 National Sports Festival, NSF, Delta state government has debunked reported collapse of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba promising to to get the facilities ready before November 28.

The state government also noted that no life was lost during the accident, which occurred at the construction site of the indoor sports complex at the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba.

The State made the clarification on Thursday in Asaba the state capital.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who is also the Chairman Media Committee of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Delta 2022 National Sports Festival, said in a live video at the venue of the incident that reports making the rounds of substandard materials as cause of the accident were untrue.

He stated that the accident was caused by misalignment of the crane by its operator, which led to the heavy duty equipment crashing on the wall in one of the floors.

Aniagwu explained that only one person sustained minor injury and has since been treated while other workers have also returned to site.

He said the contraction company handling the project, Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited has assured that the crashed wall would be fixed within 48 hours.

“Right behind me is the premises of the indoor sports hall under construction at the Stephen Keshi Stadium. The accident was caused by the crane operator who couldn’t properly align the lift while trying to take up some very heavy duty equipment from the particular floor, and it fell on the wall which led to a crash of a part of the wall.

“One person sustained minor injury and has since been treated and he has returned to work. The workers are very much on site and we are moving with speed.

“The unconfirmed reports of loss of life is not true and any body saying the Stephen Keshi Stadium has come crashing down is also peddling the wrong information,” Aniagwu stated.

He continues: “As a matter of fact, the Stadium is undergoing some renovation work ahead of the National Sports Festival. The contractor has assured us that in less than 48 hours, the part of the wall that collapsed on account of the misalignment of the crane would be fixed.”

Aniagwu urged the general public to discountenance any report stating loss of life on account of the minor accident at the construction site.