The Edo State Government is set to revive sports in the state. This follows the submission of two proposed bills: The Edo Sports Commission Bill and the Sports Trust Fund Bill by an 11 member committee set up by the state government for that purpose.
Receiving the documents at Government House in Benin City, Godwin Obaseki, Edo State governor, commended the committee for doing a good job and expressed the hope that the bills when passed into law, would revive sports in the state.
He thanked the committee for sticking to the terms of reference set up for them, which led to the formulation of the sports document and promised that the bills would be sent to the State House of Assembly.
“Government is refreshing its sports outlook. That was why we set up this committee. You have advised us on what to do and have come up with a document that will regulate the sports industry, including how to improve on our current ranking in sports, funding and how to get stakeholders in the industry to join us in revamping the sector,” he said, adding that the state government will act on the recommendation. He also pointed out that the job of the committee is not over as it has to come up with implementation strategies for the bill when passed into law.
The governor pointed out that it was time to transit from the old ways of managing sports so that it can be self-financing.
Earlier, the Chairman of the 11-man committee and Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, said the committee gave a broad view to the issues surrounding sports development in the state before it came up with the sports documents. He is optimistic that the bills when passed into law, would move sports to the next level in the state.
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