Edo Sports Devt C’ttee proposes Sports Commission, Trust Fund Bills

The 11-man committee set up by the Edo State Government to revive sports in the state has submitted two proposed bills:  The Edo Sports Commission Bill and the Sports Trust Fund Bill to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Receiving the documents at Government House in Benin City, Obaseki commended the committee for doing a good job and assured that the bills when passed into law, would revitalise sports in the state.

He thanked the committee for their commitment to the terms of reference they were given, 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 added.

“We assure you that we will act on the document and it will guide our sports architecture,” the governor said, noting 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.

Obaseki stressed 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, Rt. Hon. 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. Shaibu assured that the bills when passed into law, would move sports to the next level in the state.