President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s special adviser on media and public communication, Chief Sunday Dare has called for the introduction of a documented sports policy to guide football administration in the country.
Sports247 reports that Dare also advocated the need for a well-known and properly articulated blueprint, which he opined would be a clear reference for administrators to follow in shaping the sector effectively.
The former minister of sports then took a look at the current leadership in the sector, especially football, and reasoned that the officials are on the right path towards ensuring Nigeria finally gets it right.
He averred, “We have the right people in place to help us push a proper legislation that’s needed for sports to grow in the country. They have to come out with an effective sports policy.
“We need an effective National Sports Industry Policy that touches on various areas of development needed for our football to grow. Until we implement the policy in full force, we’ll only be dancing around.”
Dare, who was a special guest during the opening ceremony of the recent Super-4 of Nigeria National League (NNL) at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, also reeled out a number of merits that would accrue to sports once a documented policy is put in place.
He asserted, “No football effort or structure will survive without a blueprint. We should go to Senegal and see what they have done to evolve their football.
“Now, the whole world is seeing the results. This tells us that we must have a coded document to guide us, so that anyone who comes in as NFF president or sports minister knows exactly what to follow.
“There should be a document in place for everyone to see and follow. It will be operated like what we see in the constitution of a country, which every subsequent president has to follow.
“That’s the way to build an enduring sector that is effective and strong. That’s what we need for sports to grow in this country. We need a policy to help us build a strong sports sector.”
The former minister concluded by making a reference to his efforts to fashion out a long-term document to guide Nigerian football during his time in office but pointed out that any other effective guideline could be created by the current array of sports buffs at the helm of affairs.
Dare submitted, “Whether it’s a 10-year football masterplan or whatever we want to call it, let the best minds come together and sit down to create something for us to build on.
“It must not be shrouded in secrecy, and everybody should know that Nigeria has a football masterplan. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it’s currently going in this country.
“We love football, but we are not ready to do what is necessary to develop it. All said, with the current level of people in charge and with different ideas coming into play, I think we are going to get there.”
