Association Wants Edo To Support Cricket Growth In Schools

Vice-President of the National Cricket Association, Uyi Akpata has urged the Edo State Government to support the growth of cricket in schools.
Akpata made the call in an interview with newsmen in Benin at the weekend.
“There should be partnership between the government and private sector. When there is a good leadership from the private sector side, government should totally align by assisting for sports to development.
“The area where I really want to see the government come in, in the game of cricket is encouraging the schools to support their students,” he said.
Akpata, who is also the Edo Cricket Association Chairman, said as part of the plan to introduce the sport in school curriculum, the association would soon be collaborating with the state Ministry of Education on the matter.
He said the government should not be fully involved in supporting sports in terms of financing, because it would not be sustainable.
He, however, stressed that government intervention in sports should come in terms of support and structure.
“For instance, it is the state government that has given us this ground we are using for our games, they have also promised to do a perimeter fence round the school. We believe they can assist us to build hostel in the schools also,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Cricket National Team Coach , Uthe Ogbimi, has said that lack of investment in Cricket was the bane of the game in the country.
He said the amount of investment in the sport, by both governments and private organisations, was little when compared with countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe.
He said investment in the production of coaches, kits and young players, would help to improve the rating of Nigeria in Cricket from its current 48 position in the world and six in Africa. Ogbimi, however, expressed the determination of the national body to make the game popular throughout the country.
He disclosed that the association had planned to take the sport beyond its present level with the introduction of “Catch Them Young” programme.