BENIN CITY – The Honourable Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Brown Ebewele yesterday briefed the Edo State House of Assembly on the activities of his ministry in the past one year.
Parliament, however told the commissioner to focus on the use of more indigenous sports men and women from the state to prosecute both national and international competitions.
The member representing Ovia South West Constituency, Hon. Christopher Adesotu who made the suggestion during the commissioner’s briefing, said that one of the legacies of the two-time Governor of the defunct Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, was developing the youths of the state through sports.
Hon. Adesotu stated that going outside the state to hire athletes for the purpose of winning in a particular championship, would not only kill the talents that abound in every nooks and crannies of the state but would equally kill the development of sporting activities in the state.
While Hon. Philip Shaibu (EtsakoWest II) blamed the relegation of the state darling team, Bendel Insurance Football Club, to the high-handedness of the Sports Commissioner, Hon. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Ativie (Uhunmwode) offered words of advice, urging the ministry to devote more time to youth development so that they would redirect their minds from criminal activities.
Earlier in his brief, the commissioner, Mr. Brown Ebewele said the budgetary allocation to the ministry between May to December 2007 was N82 million, adding that N84 million was equally released by the State Government last year for renovation and sinking of borehole at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
Mr. Ebewele further noted that the sum of over N201 million approved for capital expenditure for the ministry in the year 2008 fiscal year was grossly inadequate while adequate representation had been made to the state government for a supplementary budget.
The commissioner also informed the Parliament that N30 million was approved for Bendel Insurance Football Club this fiscal year, adding that the internally generated revenue of the ministry between May last year to June this year stood at N3 million.
On the state of Bendel Insurance Football Club, the commissioner said the Insurance Football Club was a limited liability company owned and being financed by the state government while Bendel Insurance was dead.
He, however stated that the state government had re-possessed Bendel Insurance Football Club and hoped to bring the club back to the Premier League within the next one year, even as he maintained that N42 million earmarked for the club this year was grossly inadequate.
Also yesterday, the House considered and adopted a one-point recommendation to the Parliament by the House Standing Committee on Public Petitions and Labour Relations on a Petition titled, “Save Police Pensioners from Imminent Danger”, written and signed by one Mr. Kadiri Osuma”.
Striking out the petition, the House reasoned that the issue raised fell within the exclusive list and if he (Petitioner) wanted the government to do anything on the issue he should channel his petition to the National Assembly.
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