The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday passed the Lagos State Sports Commission and Lagos State Sports Trust Fund Bills for the growth and developing of sports in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House passed a Bill for a Law to Provide for Establishment of Lagos State Sports Commission and for Connected Purposes and a Bill for a Law for Establishment of Lagos State Trust Fund and for Connected Purposes.
The bills were given accelerated passage after the House adopted the recommendations of its House Committee on Sports led by Mr Adedamola Kasumu as its resolutions.
The two bills, thereafter, were read for the third time and passed after the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, conducted voice votes on each section of the bills.
Obasa directed the Acting Clerk of the House to forward clean copies of each bill to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode for assent.
Speaking with NAN after the plenary, Kasumu said that the two bills would help to take sports to greater heights in the state.
“The board of the commission will be properly constituted for the development of sports in the state. The commission will replace ministry of sport as it were. It will enhance participation and training in sports.
“The bills seek to promote young talents in sports to grow. Sports Trust Fund is saddled with the responsibility of looking for donations and grants to encourage sporting activities in the state.
“Lagos has been doing well in sports; the bills will make the state a giant in sports, not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa. We will stop at nothing to make sure we take sports to greater heights,” he said.
According to him, sports, with the two bills, will be taken to the people at the grassroots and the Ministry of Education will also be encouraged to develop school sports further.
He said that while the sports commission would help to ensure proper management of sporting activities through regulation of policies, the Sports Trust Fund would help to generate fund to develop sports.
The chairman said with the Trust Fund, the labour of sports heroes would not be forgotten as it would help to recognise and reward those who had contributed to sports development.
He said that it would help to identify and sponsor young and upcoming sports talents for development, to enable them to attain the height of their career. (NAN)