Fans in Edo have urged the government to ensure the appointment of competent persons as sports to administer sports in the state, saying that incompetency had been its bane in sports development.
The fans, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Benin, said that a seasoned sports administrator as commissioner would help to regain its lost glory.
The former coach of Golden Eaglets and Super Falcons, Godwin Izilein, said that the state must get it right this time in terms of appointment of the commissioner for the ministry of sports.
He regretted that the state had never had it good since the appointment of Brown Ebewele as Commissioner for Sports by the Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor’s government.
“Since then, we have never had it good in terms of appointment into the ministry.
“This perhaps, accounts for the reason sports development have remained retarded in the state.
“We need someone who has the technical know-how about sports and not just appointing a politician to run the ministry, which has always been the problem in times past.
“Edo used to be the number one state in sports in this country, but has been lagging behind lately.
“We need to get back to the top position again, and to do that, we must start by appointing a competent person as commissioner,’’ he said.
Also, John Ebidah, said a commissioner with a good knowledge of sports, especially with grassroots sports should be considered for such an appointment.
On his part, Ighoaro Osagie, said that if sports were to occupy the front burner in the Godwin Obaseki-led government, a competent hand must be appointed to manage its affairs.
According to him, all the state needed to achieve a greater height in sports development is to put a round peg in a round hole. (NAN)