Nigeria don’t budget enough for sports – Shehu Sani

In a year filled with some international tournaments like Paris 2024 Olympics, 13th African Games and other sporting championships, Senator Shehu Sani has lamented the poor funding of sports in Nigeria, reports www.totorinews.com. 

According to the Kaduna – born politician, Nigeria is not budgeting enough for sports, adding that Nigerian leaders, especially those in the National Assembly does not reckon with sports, noting that heading Senate Committee on Sports is seen as not lucrative.

“Nigeria don’t budget enough for Sports. Even in the Senate, if they give you Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, it means that they have finished sharing all the lucrative positions and they threw you to sports,” Shehu Sani told www.totorinews.com in Abuja on Tuesday evening.

“No Senator wants to be Chairman Senate Committee on Sports. There are some committees that Senators avoid heading. Senate Committee on Sports, Senate Committee on Information, Senate Committee on Anti- Corruption because these committes are not lucrative at all.

“So, if you see any Senator thrown to Senate Committee on Sports, it means that they have finished sharing that of Oil and Gas and other lucrative committees.

“This is how we neglect Sports and at the end of the day we forget that Sports bring good name to Nigeria.

“When people think of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, they think of the glory and honour the athletes have brought to these countries.

“When you think of Jamaica, you know what the country has been able to achieve in Athletics. When you think of Cuba, you remember the exploits of the country in amateur boxing.

“These are the countries that have used sports to achieve a lot. So why can’t Nigeria do just same with the abundance of talent in the country. That is the question,” he said.

Please watch out for the part 2 of poor budget funding of Sports in Nigeria by Senator Shehu Sani.