Despite the deplorable conditions of sporting edifices across the country due to poor maintenance as reported by Daily Trust on Sunday, October 10, 2021, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has proposed to spend N1.47bn on the construction, upgrading as well as completion of at least 14 sporting centres and mini stadia across the country.
This is contained in the 2022 budget estimates submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly on Thursday, October 7.
According to the budget, the sports ministry will spend N30m on the construction of mini stadium with 1,000 seating capacity in Anambra south senatorial district in Anambra State while N10m will be spent on constructing a mini stadium at Ode Aremo, Atiba Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Also, N20m is expected to be spent on the construction of mini stadium at Agu Isi-Onye, km 70 Enugu-Onitsha dual carriage way, Anambra while N50m has been budgeted for the completion and upgrading of mini sports centre located at Orabuike, Enugwu Ukwu, Anambra State.
Similarly, N50m will be spent on the construction of community sports centres in the three senatorial districts of Oyo State while N100m has been budgeted for the completion of selected mini sports centres in each of the six geo-political zones.
Also, N10m will be spent on the completion of a mini sports centre in Abeokuta North Local Government Area, Ogun State just as another N10m will be spent on the renovation of a mini-stadium, Osun East senatorial district in Osun State.
N20m will be spent on the construction of a sports centre in Umuoba, Owerri in Imo State while another N20m has been budgeted to be spent on the construction of a terrace in the mini-stadium at Ikwo Local Government Area in Ebonyi central senatorial district.
In the same vein, N500m will be spent on the construction of stadium and installation of flood light in Shani Kwaya and Biu stadium, Borno State just as N650m will go into the ongoing constructions of township stadium, Yobe, sports facilities in GSS Gashua also in Yobe State and mini stadium at GSS Garin Lamido in Sabon Gari in Taraba State.
It will be noted that the total budget of the ministry for 2022 stands at N193,315,083,317 as presented by President Muhammadu Buhari.
