The newly appointed Plateau State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Comrade Prince Miaphen, has commenced his tenure with an inspection tour of major sports facilities in Jos, calling for accelerated work on the ongoing construction of the Rwangpan Township Stadium.
Miaphen, who officially assumed office in August 2026, embarked on the inspection on Tuesday, September 1, alongside directors and management staff of the ministry to assess the condition of sporting infrastructure across the state and identify areas requiring urgent intervention.
The inspection covered the Rwangpan Township Stadium, Jos International Stadium, Zaria Road, and the Dadin Kowa Youth Centre.
At the Rwangpan Township Stadium, where construction of a FIFA-standard football facility is ongoing, the commissioner expressed concern over the pace of work and directed the contractors to deploy additional manpower and increase the speed of construction.
He urged the project managers to work beyond the current pace, including exploring extended working hours where possible, stressing that the completion of the facility was important to the state’s sporting ambitions.
“Whatever you can do to improve the speed, please improve the speed. Put more manpower. I will keep coming here unannounced. I want to see much more manpower,” Miaphen told the construction team.
The commissioner said the state could not afford further delays, particularly as the football season had already commenced.
He noted that completing the stadium was crucial to ensuring that Plateau United could continue playing its home matches in the state rather than being forced to relocate to another venue.
According to him, such a situation could negatively affect the team and the state’s aspirations of competing at the intercontinental level.
Miaphen, however, acknowledged the work already carried out at the stadium and attributed some of the delays to the rainy season, particularly work on the football pitch.
The project manager, Hussein Jephthah of InformSpot West Africa, explained that the stadium project had initially been conceived on a smaller scale but was subsequently upgraded by the government to meet FIFA-standard requirements.
Jephthah said the overall project was currently about 70 per cent completed, with the dressing rooms approximately 90 per cent completed and the grandstands between 80 and 85 per cent.
He identified the football pitch and the remaining stand as some of the major areas still requiring work, explaining that persistent rainfall had slowed down activities on the pitch.
He said the technical team was waiting for improved weather conditions to enable proper compaction and stabilisation of the pitch before laying the required materials.
The project manager assured the commissioner that the necessary equipment and grass were available and that significant progress would be recorded once the weather improved.
Miaphen urged the contractors to take advantage of favourable weather conditions and increase the number of workers on site to ensure that the project meets its expected timeline.
He also invited the project management team to engage with the ministry over any challenges affecting the project, promising that the ministry would explore ways of supporting the completion process.
Commissioner Targets One-Month Completion Window
At the Jos International Stadium, Zaria Road, the commissioner inspected the existing facilities, including the football pitch, changing rooms, restrooms, running lanes, media room and spectator areas.
Miaphen said the facility required maintenance and improvements but explained that the ministry’s immediate priority was to complete the Rwangpan Township Stadium so that sporting activities and home matches could eventually be moved there.
He said the ministry was working towards having the Rwangpan facility ready within about a month, subject to the progress of construction and prevailing weather conditions.
The management of Plateau United and the stadium also welcomed the commissioner and presented him with a team tracksuit.
Miaphen described himself as a “team player” and assured the management of the ministry and Plateau United of his willingness to work with them to improve the team’s performance and advance its sporting ambitions.
The stadium management also briefed the commissioner on upcoming competitions, including zonal activities for the National Intermediate Games and the National Sports Festival, as well as basketball competitions scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.
Responding, Miaphen requested a comprehensive calendar of sporting activities and competitions to enable the ministry to properly prepare and support Plateau athletes.
He stressed the importance of keeping the ministry informed about upcoming competitions, saying such information would allow the government to provide the necessary encouragement and support to athletes.
Dadin Kowa Youth Centre to Receive Major Renovation
The inspection team also visited the Dadin Kowa Youth Centre, where the commissioner identified several infrastructure challenges requiring government attention.
Among the issues identified were structural defects affecting the event hall, which may require partial demolition and reconstruction, as well as the need for shaded spectator areas around the sporting courts and pitches.
The commissioner also highlighted the need for public restrooms and additional commercial shops and offices at the centre.
Miaphen disclosed that a redevelopment plan was already being prepared for presentation to the Plateau State Governor, with the first phase expected to focus on renovating the existing structures.
He said the ministry was targeting December 2026 for the completion of the first phase, while further development, including additional commercial spaces and offices, would follow.
According to him, the administration is committed to developing infrastructure that will have a direct impact on young people across the state.
Commissioner Unveils Youth Mobilisation Plan
Beyond sports infrastructure, Miaphen said his administration would prioritise greater youth participation in governance and development across Plateau State.
He disclosed plans to embark on a Local Government Youth Tour, during which he would meet with youth organisations across the state’s local government areas.
According to him, the planned engagement will bring together ethnic, religious, political, student and other youth groups to discuss governance, development and the challenges confronting young people.
“We want to take governance close to them. When we meet, we will speak the language that we understand. We will look at how best we can improve in governance,” he said.
Miaphen said the views and recommendations gathered during the engagements would be aggregated and presented to the state government for consideration.
He also promised an open-door policy that would allow different youth groups across Plateau to engage directly with the ministry.
The commissioner said his ministry would not limit its sporting development agenda to football, but would also focus on grassroots development and talent identification across other sporting disciplines.
He said the ministry would embark on tours across the northern, central and southern parts of Plateau State to identify sporting talents and assess youth facilities.
“We will travel the length and breadth of this state to get talent, fish out talent to the overall interest of our state,” Miaphen said.
He expressed confidence that the state would perform better in future competitions through improved preparation, grassroots talent development and stronger government support.
The commissioner further called for unity among Plateau youths, promising that the ministry would promote peace, unity and inclusive participation while creating opportunities for young people across the state.
He said the inspection tour was only the beginning of a broader assessment of youth and sporting facilities across Plateau State.
Miaphen maintained that the ministry would work with relevant stakeholders and the state government to transform the sector and ensure that sports and youth development become stronger contributors to the state’s development.