Senate passes bill to establish National Sports Commission

The Senate, on Tuesday, passed two bills seeking to establish the National Sports Commission and the Federal University of Sports, Nkalagu in Ebonyi State.

The passage of both bills during the plenary followed the consideration of two separate reports by the Committee on Sports and Youth Development.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Obinna Ogba, in his presentation, said the National Sports Commission when established, would be charged with the responsibility of administering, encouraging and developing sports and games throughout Nigeria.

He added that stakeholders at the public hearing, lauded the legislative intent of the bill, noting that the Commission would impact greatly on Nigeria’s youths who aspire to become successful sportsmen and women.

Ogba explained that at a time Nigeria was making efforts to diversify its sources of revenue, the establishment of the sports commission has the potentials to help the diversification process for the optimum benefit of revenue generation.

In his second presentation, the lawmaker said the Federal University of Sports, Nkalagu, when established, would develop and offer academic and professional programmes leading to the award of first degrees, post-graduate research and higher degrees with an emphasis on planning, adaptive, technical, maintenance, developmental and productive skills in the engineering, scientific, and allied professional disciplines relating to Sports resources.

Meanwhile, a total of four bills scaled second reading in the Senate on Tuesday during plenary.

The bills are; Nigerian Coast Guard bill 2021; A bill to repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act 2004; A bill to Domesticate the African Union Convention on the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa; and the Federal University of Science, Technology and Innovation Agulu, Anambra State.

The bills were sponsored by Senators Akon Etim Eyakenyi (Akwa-Ibom South), Francis Alimikhena (Edo North), Frank Ibezim (Imo North), and Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central).

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after the bills were considered, referred them to the Committees on Navy and Marine Transport; Customs; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; and Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.

The Committees were given four weeks to report back to the upper chamber.

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