Delta State House of Assembly’s Committee on Sports and Youth Development, on Wednesday in Asaba promised to enhance budgetary allocations to the state’s sports commission.
The committee’s Chairman, Fred Martins gave the assurance during the 2021 budget defence meeting with the state sports commission.
“The House has promised to enhance the commission’s budgetary allocation in the 2021 fiscal year and subsequent years,” he said.
Martins said the House, as well as the committee, noted the importance of sports in national and societal development and that it could not be undermined.
He however, underlined the need for the rehabilitation of existing stadia in the state as well as to ensure the completion of all ongoing projects.
Martins, while commending Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa for his commitment to sports development in the state, also lauded the commission for driving the state government’s interest in sports development.
Defending the 2021 budget estimates before the committee, the Executive Chairman of the state sports commission, Tonobok Okowa said plans were on for the establishment of the state’s arts sports academy.
Okowa, while highlighting the importance of the proposed sports academy, noted that the plan had become imperative as it would go a long way in “catching them young’’.
He also said that the commission’s 2021 budget was targeted, among other things, at the maintenance/development of the various stadia in the state.
Okowa also said the state government had concluded plans for the hosting of the National Council of Sports, as well as an athletics competition tagged “Okowa Plus Post COVID-19 Athletics Competition’’.