Photo: President Jonathan, others in long trek, promises special sports fund

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday promised to institute a special fund for the sports sector if re-elected for a second term on March 28.

Jonathan made the promise while addressing sportsmen and others at a solidarity rally organised for him at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

The event put together by a Non-Governmental Organisation, Desire for Greatness Foundation, saw the President walking from the Presidential Villa, Abuja to the venue.

He was joined in the long walk by Vice President Namadi Sambo and President of the Senate, David Mark, among other top government officials and presidential aides.

The President said the special fund would serve as stop gap for training of the nation’s sportsmen before their budgets are approved.

He added that the fund would also be used to bring succour to sports who have brought glory to the nation but suddenly found themselves in need.

He said, “To 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.