Management Failure, Undue Government Interference Hindering Sports Development In Nigeria – Dogara

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has identified poor funding, undue government intervention, inefficient administration and policy implementation as main factors hindering development of sports in the country.

 

Speaking at the National Summit on Sports organised by the House Committee on Sports, he noted that government’s role in sports should only be limited to provision of nucleus fund and creation of legal framework for development of sports in Nigeria.

 

 

Hon Dogara expressed confidence that the summit, with the theme: “Growing Nigerian Sports from the Grassroots for Championship, Excellence and Sustainable Development”, will contribute greatly to efforts to get it right in the Sports Sector.

 

 

He said, “It is common knowledge that Nigeria is a potential international hub in global sports.  We have made and are still making waves in sporting events of national and international reckoning.  We have made names in soccer, particularly at international youth tournaments, and have also won golds at the Olympic games, which all prove to the world that we have what it takes to be on top in Sports.

 

 

“However, our successes seem to be accidental or once-in-a-while occurrences.  The reasons for this are not far-fetched, and they have to do with the issues of inefficient administration and policy implementation.

 

 

“Certainly, there is management failure in the sector.  For instance, the lingering crisis in the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) is totally uncalled for.  It is a war of attrition that is doing no one any good.

 

 

“Many commentators have said that it is undue government interference that is hindering the development of Sports in the country.  The popular view is that Sports should be Private Sector-driven, while government provides the enabling environment just as it is recommended for other productive sectors of the economy.  I agree with this notion because the Sports sector is capital-intensive, and there is no way that government alone can effectively fund the sector.

 

 

“Government responsibility should be centred on provision of nucleus fund and creation of the legal framework that will motivate and rally potential sponsors and investors into the sector.  For instance, records have it that about 26 years ago, British Government invested 200 million Pounds in the English Premier League, and today, the League is said to be worth Eight billion Pounds.  Certainly, Private Sector funding is key to Sports development, and we must find a way of achieving this, just as it was done for the Communication sector, with great success, and as it is being done for the Power sector.

 

 

“It is my hope that this Summit will contribute greatly to our efforts to get it right in the Sports Sector.”