Ekiti state Government says plans are under way to establish a Sports Commission, as parts of efforts to strengthening the sports sector.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji made the stated this while receiving the state contingent for the 2022 National Sports Festival, held in Delta State, in his office in Ado-Ekiti.
He also promised to strengthen it sports laws to ensure that the state athletes are insured and enjoy things that would motivate them to perform maximally.
Mr Oyebanji said government would take sports out of the core ministry by establishing a commission that would report directly to him on matters that concern sports development.
The Governor said in less than 12 months, government in partnership with a financial institutions would build a befitting Indoor Games Hall to ease training of the athletes
“We are going to take sports out of the ministry, we soon establish Ekiti Sports Commission that is going to see to your welfare and they will report to me directly; so that all the bureaucracy of government will not affect the sports again.
” We will strengthen our laws that has to do with sports development in the state, to making sure that you are insured, you have access to alot of things that will motivate you, you are ambassadors and we must treat you as one,” Oyebanji said.
He lauded the state contingent to the national sports festival for their zeal and commitment, and promised that they would be rewarded for their efforts and performance.
Earlier, the General Manager of the Ekiti Sports Council, Mr Kunle Adeyemi, told the governor that seven out of the 10 contingent that represented the state at the festival; won medals for the state in various categories.
He called for the support of government for sports development, and gave an assurance that more talents could be discovered in the state.
In a remark, the Permanent Secretary Ekiti Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Ayodele Adeyanju, appreciated the governor for his support to sports development in the state.
