Admin l Friday, May 12, 2017
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Special Adviser and Chairman Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Deji Tinubu has disclosed that the Ambode-led administration intends to make Lagos Africa’s sports hub by creating and sustaining a sports culture through the development of grassroots sports.
He said the State government has initiated and implemented new programmes that will enable the Commission to discover and mentor new talents, give athletes necessary support, improve and expand sports facilities and build sports culture among school children.
Speaking today at the ongoing annual Ministerial Press Briefing in commemoration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode second year in office and the Lagos@50 anniversary, Tinubu noted that the Sports Commission has continued to work towards the development of Sports as it initiates, formulates, executes, monitors and evaluates policies relating to it.
According to him, the State government has increased the number of sporting events and activities in some Lagos schools, just as it has engaged much more in organized sports with a standardized calendar in order to take the of students minds off socially non-acceptable pursuits.
“Some of such events is the Heritage Bank Secondary Skoolimpics (Athletics competition), Bestman Games (Monopoly), Rugby and Cycling”, he said.
To further entrench Sports culture in communities, he said the Government is embarking on the Sports Connect Initiative by taking sports back to the communities, adding that under the initiative there will be data collection of all schools within the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas to identify school spaces for sporting activities.
Deji Tinubu also explained that the State’s ban on parties in school premises was to allow for more sporting activities and open up more doors for children to explore, discover and develop their talents.
The Special Adviser averred that sports for the physically challenged are also included in sporting events organized by the State, noting that the intention is to hold a Paralympics Soccer event soon.
He also disclosed the State Government’s plan to renovate the National Stadium and bring back its original glory befitting the Centre of Excellence.
