FG To Spend N197m On Sports For Golden Jubliee

The Federal Government has budgeted N197 million for sports-related activities toward the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebration on Oct. 1, the National Sports Commission (NSC) said in Abuja.

Mr Patrick Ekeji, the NSC Director-General, made the announcement while inaugurating a 23-member sub-committee on sports for the celebration, tagged “Nigeria at 50”.

He said the amount was provided for sports in the total budget for the programme, which had Dr Fidelis Kaigama as the Director- General of the main organising committee.

Ekeji said the Federal Government viewed the anniversary celebration with seriousness and deemed it fit to appropriate the money because sports was a major sector of the economy.

“Because of its signifi-cance, government is taking the anniversary seriously because when you are 50 you are no more a youth but an elder.

“This is why we want to put forward an elegant event that all of us will be proud of,” he said.

The NSC director-general said it was the duty of the sub-committee to design a sports programme that would be representative of all sports and genders, he said.

Responding on behalf of the sub-committee, Alhaji Mohammed Sule, the Chairman, said the members would do their “best to meet all expectations.

“We are grateful for considering us worthy for this task and we will strive to put in our very best.”

The sub-committee has Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), as First Vice-Chairman.

Malam Alhassan Yakmut, the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Premier League, is the Second Vice-Chairman, while Mrs Tayo Oreweme of the NSC is the Secretary.

Mrs Lizzy Onyewenwa, also of the NSC, will serve as Coordinator.

Other members are Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme and Musa Amadu, each NFF Deputy General Secretary, as well as six NSC Zonal Coordinators and six state Directors of Sports.