Ado-Ekiti – The Ekiti State government on Wednesday, said that all the obsolete equipment and facilities in the sports council would be upgraded to national and International standard in 2017.
The Commissioner for Information, Youths and Sports, Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti.
He said that the state government was aware of the various challenges facing athletes and management of the sports council,especially insufficient and unavailable sports equipment.
Ogunsuyi assured the state athletes that the state government was working towards buying new sports equipment, which would also enhance the training techniques of the coaches.
The commissioner said that aside plans of the state government to procure new sports equipment, competitions would be organised for Football, Basketball, Tennis among others to discover more talents.
” I am aware of the challenges facing the sports council and we are already taking steps to make changes.
“I want to assure all the sports men and women that all the obsolete equipment will be upgraded to what obtains both at the national and international levels.
” Apart from buying new sports equipment, the ministry of sports is planning to organise competitions in various sports, such as Football, Basketball, Tennis, Table Tennis, Handball among others.
” It is quite unfortunate that the state government is currently facing financial problems, but with God on our side, we will achieve our objectives in 2017, “he said.
Ogunsuyi appealed to the management of the sports council, coaches and state athletes to be patient with the state government.
He said that the state governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, was ready to promote sports and give moral and financial support to outstanding athletes,