AMILOADED MEDIA HUB NEWS UPDATE
The deputy governor of Osun State and Commissioner for Sports, Prince Kola Adewusi, has unveiled plans to develop sports in the State, AMILOADED reports.
Adewusi, who made this known on Friday, said the Osun State Government, under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke, will transform sports in the state, shape a prosperous future for the people and elevate sports performance at every level, starting from grassroots initiatives to athletes and improve on the state’s sports facilities.
The commissioner said the present administration has demonstrated a commitment to sports development in the past few months, noting that investments have been made in various facets of the sports industry, including the sponsoring of Osun State contingent to the last National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State, and supported the state-owned football clubs.
He however said the state government, to transform the state’s sports industry will embark on steps which include “Sport facilities upgrade: A comprehensive upgrade of sports facilities across the State is on our plan. These improvements will extend to the sports facilities in zones such as Iwo, Ilesha, Ile-Ife, Osogbo, Ilesa Orangun, Ede, Ejigbo and so on, ensuring that athletes have access to top-notch facilities.”
Adewusi disclosed that the state government would restructure the Osun State Games Village located between Ijebu-Jesa and Ijeda in Oriade local government area.
The deputy governor said the facility will serve as a hub for athlete training and preparation, as well as hosting various competitions, and solidify Osun State’s status as a sports powerhouse.
He added, “Government is set to launch the Osun State Sports Trust Fund. This initiative will encourage multinational companies, private ogranisations and philanthropic individuals to partner with the government , providing vital resources to further develop the sports industry.
“Government will establish Osun State Sports Commission which will be entrusted with strengthening sports governance, transparency, and control in the management of sports in the State. We will thus join the ranks of states such as Delta, Kano, Lagos, Kwara and Ekiti which this concept of management and sports governance is contributory to the success in sports performances.
“To ensure equitable facilitation of sports development efforts of government, each of the 30 Local Government office in Osun State will adopt and sponsor a specific sport or games within their domain. This collaborative approach will ease the burden on the state government and promote sports across the entire state and for the citizenry.
“Re-introduction of the intercollegiate games and the principal cup: Government will stimulate under a PPP arrangement, the re-introduction of the intercollegiate games and the principal cup for the students and the youth.
“The government is committed to recruiting and train the best administrators, coaches and athletes to shore up our position within the sports industry and financially rewarding them in all sporting disciplines based on performance.
“An annual sports award will be set up to motivate them. This step will not only foster intrinsic motivation but also boost overall job performance. In addition to this, experienced coaches who are “retired but not tired” will also be reabsorbed on a contract basis with competitive remuneration packages.
“Governor Adeleke’s administration is committed to meritocracy in appointments covering sports administrators and other related positions. Nepotism will have no place while ensuring that individuals are selected based on their experience, knowledge and skills, aligning each role with the right candidate.
“The government is working on the restructuring and rebranding of the two state owned football clubs: the Osun United FC and the Osun Babes FC. The new management of the clubs will soon be inaugurated to replace the Interim management. Now the our darling club has gotten promoted to the Nigeria National League it behoves on the Government to support the team to get promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League at the end of the season.
“It is on record that everyone worked for a whole week without a rest, and this cut across all citizens and private organisations including the civil service. As a result, we are introducing a physical fitness and dance sports programme every month to further improve our health and physical fitness.
“Encouraging Physically challenged people to be involved in sports to discover their god giving talents.”
Adewusi stated that Governor Adeleke, is committed to ushering in a new era of sports excellence, accountability, and inclusivity in Osun State, adding that the strategic initiatives will not only benefit athletes but also inspire the entire state and the citizens to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle through sports.
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