December 14, 2017

The Ministry of Youths and Sports in Ogun said it needed N2.5 billion for capital development in its activities in 2018.

The Commissioner, Mr Afolabi Afuape, stated this on Wednesday while defending the ministry’s 2018 budget of N2.7 before members of the House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation in Abeokuta.

Afuape told the committee that the capital expenditure estimate was for the rehabilitation of MKO Abiola and Muda Lawal Stadia, both in Abeokuta.

He added that during the period, recurrent expenditure would gulp N165 million.

The commissioner said that the state government planned to increase the capacity of the MKO Abiola Stadium during the period.

He said that plans were underway to ensure that the state was the best in terms of quality of facilities and athletes.

“There is need to put down structures and templates in the state for preparation for the National Sports Festival.

“We are also developing initiatives to revive grassroots sports by setting up a fund mobilisation machinery and creating legacy projects for annual implementation,’’ Afuape said.

In a remark, a member of the committee, Mr Victor Fasanya, urged the ministry to ensure that the stadia renovations were thorough and that money spent on the project was justified.

Other lawmakers, who spoke on the renovation, urged the government to take the renovation to other stadia across the state. (NAN)