Jonathan promises special fund for sports if re-elected

President Goodluck Jonathan Saturday unveiled his plan for the nation’s sports sector, saying he would institute a special fund for sports if re-elected on March 28.
Addressing stakeholders in sports at a solidarity rally for him at the Eagles Square in Abuja, the President said money could be drawn from the Fund for major competitions before sports budget is approved.
Jonathan had earlier in the morning led other senior government officials, including Vice President Namadi Sambo and Senate President David Mark, on walking/jogging exercise from the State House, Abuja to the venue of the rally, the Eagles Square.
The event was organized by a Non-Governmental Organisation, Desire for Greatness Foundation.
Speaking further on the fund, President Jonathan said it would also be used to bring succour to sportsmen who have brought glory to the nation but who are now in financial distress.
He said the fund will “strengthen sporting activities in Nigeria further.
“There are some areas that we need to look into and I promise that when we come back, we are going to set up a special fund that will handle these special areas.
“I have identified about five areas that we must look at.
“I realised that sometimes when we have major tournaments, because of government budgeting and files movement, training periods are delayed.
“We want to make sure that we stop that by setting up a special fund that can serve as a stop gap.
“One other thing I realised from our interactions with sportsmen and women from my days in Bayelsa State to the centre here is that some of them want special training programmes that their federation cannot fund and they won’t have money to do that.
“We must stop that.
“Some other ones want to improve their professional career.
“Because they are so committed to sports, they may not go to university at the time they should have gone.
“So when they want to go, they may not have the money.
“We must have fund for that.
“Another area is that some of them get injured and can no longer participate and sometimes, they are left on their own.
“We must get some funds to take care of such people.
“Another one that I have identified is that some people have made this country proud.
“Sport is one key thing that brings unity to this country.
“Whenever our sportsmen are playing, we don’t discriminate.
“We must set up fund to make sure that nobody who had made this country proud will be a beggar.
“That will give us the opportunity to take care of these areas that we have identified.
“My conviction is that when these areas are properly handled, Nigeria will begin to dominate sporting activities globally.”
Speaking, Sambo enjoined Nigerians to reject being governed by a 73-year-old president, in apparent reference to the All Progressives Congress presidenial candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
Mark applauded sportsmen and women for endorsing Jonathan, urging them to vote enmasse for him on March 28.
Speaking separately, the Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo; former African queen of the tracks, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi; and former Super Eagles Coach, Austin Eguavon, said President Jonathan deserved to be re-elected.
Also present at the rally were former Super Eagles players – Kanu Nwankwo, Peter Rufai, Victor Ikpeba, Taribo West; members of the national senior female team, the Super Falcons as well as some of Paralympians.
Eguavoen said: “We are here as sportsmen and women to express solidarity with a President who has identified with sports more than any other has attempted.
“We are here to tell the youth and all Nigerians that sports has a future as long as Jonathan continues as president.”