Senate Mulls Establishment of Sports Varsity

By Deji Elumoye and Juliet Akoje

A bill seeking to establish the Federal Sports University of Nigeria, Nkalagu, Ebonyi State, on Wednesday passed through second reading at the Senate.

The bill is sponsored by Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP, Ebonyi Central).

Leading debate on the bill, the ranking Senator said the University when established, would be a highly specialized institution that would develop Nigerian youths in various sporting endeavors.

According to Ogba, the university would offer professional and academic programmes leading to the award of diploma, first degrees, Post-Graduate research and higher degrees with emphasis on planning, adaptive, technical, maintenance, development and productive skills in engineering, and allied professional disciplines relating to sports resources.

He added that the institution would, among others, establish appropriate relationships with other national institutions involved in training, research and development of technologies in the sports sector.

Ogba emphasized that the university would also identify the problems and needs of sports in Nigeria with a view to finding solutions to them.

Contributing, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, said the establishment of the institution would contribute immensely to Nigeria’s earnings from sports.

On his part, Senator Frank Ibezim said the presence of the university would encourage the development of all aspects of sports, in addition to addressing the problems of youth restiveness amid fostering national unity.

The bill after consideration was referred by the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee on Sports to report back in four weeks.