Ogun SWAN tasks Abiodun, Assembly on sports commission, trust fund bills

Ogun State chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has appealed to the state government and members of the House of Assembly to speed up the Sports Commission and Sports Trust Fund Bills, so as to help develop sports in the state. 

While making an appeal during the inauguration of the newly elected executive members of the association at the NUJ Press Centre, Iwe-Irohin House, Abeokuta, they frowned at the dwindling fortune of the sector in the state, describing it as unfortunate. 

They lamented that despite the massive talents in the state, the sector is still very much under-developed, noting that for the desired growth to take place, there is need for an all-encompassing national sports policy, which will directly address the improvement of the entire sector. 

The new executives are Hakeem Akintunde (Chairman); Jonathan Adekunle (Vice Chairman); Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji (Secretary); Lekan Agbonde (Treasurer) and Bayo Adegboyega (Assistant Secretary).

The newly elected chairman, Akintunde, said sports growth around the world was hinged on numbers of factors, which included, sports management and administration, facilities and equipment, sports personnel, funding and sponsorship, institutional sports growth, sports competition and festivals. 

“To experience the desired growth in the Nigerian sports, there has to be an encompassing National Sports Policy, which directly addresses the improvement of the above listed factors. 

Akintunde regretted that since the state hosted the 2006 National Sports Festival and 2009 U-17 World Cup, the growing fortune of the state in sports promotion and growth has gone into extinction.

In his speech, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Dr. Kehinde Oludare promised to synergise with the sports writers, assuring them of government’s support to revive the sector. 

Represented by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths and Sports, Olamide Lawal, the commissioner said government has always prioritised sports growth in the state.