- Govenor Babatunde Fashola
Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola yesterday urged the federal government to hands off sports administration, saying government’s interference was responsible for the setback recorded in the nation’s sports sector.
Fashola made the call while inaugurating a 29-man Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 18th National Sports Festival to be hosted by the state in November this year.
He lamented that there was too much presence of government in sports administration in the country, calling for the private sector to be given a platform to grow sports in Nigeria.
The governor counseled the government to focus on regulatory role to allow the private sector to drive sports growth through its own enterprise. He said the decision to involve professionals who have excelled in the corporate, social and political and legal fields into the committee was to ensure this year’s festival matches exceeds the 17th edition hosted by River State and make the 18th National Sports Festival a huge success. “Our strategy will be different; we will use our strongest asset, our people.
We would also involve the private sector and the inclusion of commissioners from the side of the government is to enable easy and speedy access to the government in terms of logistics.”
Fashola added that the resolve of the state to improve the sporting fortunes of the state guided the decision of the government to accept the hosting rights of the 2012 Festival.
