Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has said that the country must be ready to address and overcome funding constraints ahead of domestic and international competitions in 2022.
Speaking at the 2022 Budget Defence session with the House of Representatives Committee on Sports Development in Abuja yesterday, Dare highlighted some of the challenges the ministry was facing in prosecuting its activities.
“Without mincing words, participation in national, continental and international competitions which have brought much glory and goodwill to the country is capital intensive. The reality is that the ministry has been greatly challenged in prosecuting these activities owing to its very slim overhead.
The financial requirements of our forty-two national sports federations as submitted by them cannot be completely accommodated within the overhead budget envelope of the Ministry.
“The activities of these federations are instrumental to our participation in international sporting events. These huge financial requirements further underscore the need to accord the Ministry enhanced funding,” Dare pleaded.