Wahala no dey finish for dis sports matter o! Na so House of Representatives Committee on Sports take drop big bomb for our ears as dem don increase National Institute for Sports (NIS) budget from N2.8 billion to N60 billion. E be like say dem dey serious this time around.
Chairman of the Committee, Kabiru Ahmadu, come clarifying dis change during di budget defense wey dem do for Abuja on Wednesday. E talk say di increase na as per consultations wey dem do with di NIS management and di Budget Office of di Federation.
Ahmadu no just stop there, he praise di Director-General of di NIS, Mr. Philip Shuaibu, for im own transformative leadership since Tinubu carry am enter office. Na im make di institute dey shine small small despite di wahala wey funding fit dey cause dem.
E be like say for long, dis NIS dey underfunded, and dis one don affect wetin dem fit do. Di lawmaker just dey shout say dem need to give NIS beta budget support to make sure say dem fit yan correct things.
NIS don dey since 1974, and na di main place wey dem dey train people wey sabi sports well. Dem de produce coaches, administrators and all di people wey fit make Nigeria sports shine.
Shuaibu come dey ask for more funds too. E remind dem say NIS no receive any capital allocation for 2025, and na why e dey difficult for dem to move forward. Di man even talk say since wey NIS start, dem no get correct operational roadmap until him bring come 10-year strategic plan.
Di former Deputy Governor of Edo State no fit hide im anger for how Nigeria dey fall for international competitions lately. E blame am on di neglect of sports institutions like NIS. E don vow to make changes wey go help Nigeria perform better.
“Our mandate na to train manpower for di sports ecosystem,” Shuaibu yarn. “But without beta funding, wetin we go fit achieve? We need budget wey dey reflect our vision to make sports better for we country!”
Shuaibu still gree dey praise President Tinubu and di House Committee on Sports for di support. But him don dey ask make dem hurry gree for board of di National Sports Commission to form, as e dey crucial for di development of sports for di country.
For Shuaibu eye, NIS na di lifeline for sports development for Nigeria. E dey plead say Federal Government suppose put more eyes for di institute to help Nigeria rise higher for local and international competitions.
Dem even talk say di limited presence of NIS for many states na because of constant underfunding wey dey hold dem back from expanding and developing infrastructure. Dis one don slow down dem outreach programmes too.
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