Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko says he is poised to bring the needed changes needed to make Nigeria’s Sporting sector a major business in the country. He said this in an interview with TVC in Abuja on Friday.
Dikko acknowledged that expectations are high and he is willing to work with anyone who can fit into the Commission’s vision for a better sporting sector.
“Expectations are high. Sports is our national asset. I’ve been in the system for long and I know the mistakes that were made before.
This time it is going to be different. We will operate as a business.
We are to structure the commission so that we will succeed and if we find anyone that can contribute we will bring.”
He said the Commission will be structured to succeed especially through proper management and legislation.
“We have to put the necessary frameworks and policies for us to be able to succeed.
Sports is entitled to special funding and concessions.
We have to fix the new provisions of the SC act so we can succeed. Sporting Federations have to be improved.
The act has to have clauses that will deal with the issue of funding. Funding is about 80 percent. If we can do that you can see the athletes.”
Dikko was the former Chairman of the League Management Company, a body saddled with the responsibility of managing club football in Nigeria. He was also an NFF Vice President and a member of the CAF Club Licensing Committee. Having spent most of his time in football, Dikko says he will bring his football experience, especially as regards funding to sports in general.
“I have served several Sports Ministers and I have served in several sports committees. It will be a blessing if we can bring what we have done in football to other sports, especially the aspect of funding. It will be a balanced structure for all sports.”
He also said that sports would contribute massively to the nations GDP if its potential is harnessed.
“We have a property sports economy that will bring a value change.
What we bring to the GDP and so on
We have to decentralise the commission and make it into zonal offices for proper and have a pathway to get to the national level.
At the end of the day we have to put the building blocks properly.”