You’re Not Sincere, Lawmakers Blast Sports Minister

The House of Representatives Committee on Sports has expressed concern over the lack of genuine and sincere commitment by the minister of sports development, Senator John Owan-Enoh, toward Nigeria’s sports development goal.

The committee chairman, Hon. Ekene Adams, stated this, saying the legislative committee had been cooperating with the Minister since he was appointed,
more especially because he is a former lawmaker, but the Minister has not reciprocated the gesture with a good level of transparency.

The lawmaker representing Chikun/ Kajuru federal constituency of Kaduna State said: “The House Committee on Sports and my personal self have been very co-operative with the Minister of Sports all this while but we have discovered it seems he is taking us for granted with some of the things we are seeing so far.

“We decided to accord him the ultimate regard and respect because he is a former legislator but we discovered he is taking us for granted, which we find totally unacceptable.

“As he is new in the sports sector and appointed as a Sports Minister, he should ask questions because he came into the sector as a farmer and he should know that some of us are sports technocrats who have been in football for all our life, as former footballer and then administrator.

“For example, why should the Minister still allocate budget for the renovation and maintenance of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in the 2024 budget after the stadium had been handed over to the Kaduna State government?

“I think as the chairman, House Committee on Sports, we have tried enough to have a smooth and good understanding with the Minister but he is not being sincere with us.”