By Raphael Ekpang
Distinguished Senator Obinna Ogba has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to give assent to the National Sports, Commission (NSC) and Federal University of Sports bill passed by the two Chambers of the national assembly before his exit on Sunday.
Sen . Ogba who made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja said the two bills if assented to will be an everlasting gift to Nigerian youths.
He also said that he has bill on the establishment of National Youth Development Commission (NYDC) which has been passed by the Senate, but worried if the House of Representatives can pass it and assented to by President Muhammad Buhari before his exit.
According to him, the NYDC will enhance the proper utilization of funds meant for the youths on like the present situation where funds meant for the development of youths is spread across most Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals
He said, ” I have a bill on establishment of National Youth Development Commission which I thought If passed to law, will help in streamlining the funds meant for the youths, however, the Senate have passed it but the house of reps is yet to pass and if it is done you can now say Nigerian youths have a platform which they can always meet and discuss their problems. Because I fear the way it is today, if you go to almost all the ministries there are some monies meant for the youths but at the end of it all you can’t see where the money was use judiciously to catered for the youths.”
“If the bill scale through with the few days to the end of the administration, that will be a rally points for the youths because we don’t have any business sending Nigerian youths money to these ministries. Every money should go to the ministry of youth and sports that will be supervising the Commission.”
“As the Chairman of Senate Committee on Sports and youths development I sponsored a bill on National Sports Commission (NSC), in the history of Nigeria there has never been any law backing it. The Senate has passed this bill since 2021, but thank God the House of Representatives has also passed it on Tuesday, so we are now contemplating whether they would have the time to send to the President for his assent.
“I have a bill also on the establishment of Federal University of Sports-it’s going to be a platform for Nigerian youths; both those who are academically sound and those who are not because every human beings has gotten one talent or the other, so if you can’t excell in the field of education you may excel in the field of one sports or the other.
“You will agree with me we don’t have such university in the entire Africa, but for Europe they have in almost all the states. The Senate have passed it since and just on Tuesday the house of representatives have also passed it.
“So, I want to use this medium to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to give assent to the bill because this bill is going to be one of the everlasting legacy for his administration as it concern Nigeria youths because if this NSC bill is assented to by Mr. President it’s going to benefit not only Nigeria but West Africa and Africa as a whole, so I plead with Buhari to sign it before his exit,” he said
