Chinese engineers want sports complex maintained

The SKD Complex
The Chinese construction firm that is renovating the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex (SKD) in Paynesville outside Monrovia, pleads with Liberians to maintain the stadium.The Project Manager of Hebei Construction Group, Shao Kaipeng says Liberians should keep the beauty of the sports complex alive.

Hebei Construction Group is a state-owned enterprise in Hebei province, China established in September 1997. It is a provincial state-owned assets authorized management agency under the state assets supervision and administration commission of direct regulation of the People’s Government of Hebei province.

On August 29, 2019 the Government of Liberia and the People’s Republic of China signed a Technical Agreement for extension of the Chinese-assisted project at the SKD.New facilities added to the complex include; electronic or fire control system, monitoring and sound systems, among others.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with reporters here on Tuesday, 04 February Mr. Shao said, “We are calling on all the people to work and maintain the beauty of the complex because this is where you play big matches and practice sports.”

He underscored for the complex to be unique, it requires collaboration of every Liberians, noting that many people during games throw garbage and destroy facilities on the stadium, which is not good for the country. “I do not understand why people will come to watch game and break the things that can make the stadium beautiful; why will they throw garbage on the stadium, ?” he asks.

Mr. Shao calls on Liberians to exhibit moral discipline, while watch games at the stadium,indicating that moral discipline sets the platform to put the country on par with international standard.He discloses that a total of six Chinese technicians and 10 Liberians are executing the renovation of the complex. “We used six months period to renovate the complex and work very hard to keep the complex at the level it is today.”

He explains that most of the jobs are done during the dry season, including upkeep of equipment but they are challenged in doing more electrical work during the rainy season because of security concern which is a major obstacle at the facility.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shao calls on the Government of Liberia to employ more people at the SKD in order to clean the stadium after games, adding that they also want government to increase security during matches to protect the equipment there. He lauds the Liberian government for a fruitful relationship and extends gratitude to the
Liberian staff for cordial relationship over a year.

The Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex is a 35,000 capacity multi-purpose stadium in Paynesville, a suburb of Monrovia. It was built by the Chinese in 1986, used mostly for football matches and has an athletics track, though it has also been used for a reggae concert, political rallies, to host IDPs, and Ebola treatment centers.