Lagos Assembly proposes new bill for sports commission

The Lagos House of Assembly has proposed new amendments for the Lagos State Sports Commission Law 2017 in a bid to provide opportunities for young people to realise their potential.

The bill, entitled, “A Bill for a Law to amend the Lagos State Sports Commission Law 2017, to promote Youths and Sports Development in Lagos State and for connected purposes, 2021” passed through its public hearing on Friday.

The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who presided over the public hearing on behalf of the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, said the purpose of the hearing was to deliberate and curate stakeholders’ opinions on the bill.

He expressed that the intention of the amendments was to further promote youth and sports development.

The lawmaker said, “This bill underscores the importance of sports and its activities and give credence to its relation to our social security and economic lives and therein lies the reason why we must pay strong attention to sports and sporting activities in our State.”

The Acting Chairman, Committee on Youths, Sports and Social Development, Owolabi Ajani, said, “The bill seeks to develop the consciousness and needs of youths by ensuring that their expectations are met through sporting activities, promote grassroots sports at the divisional level and organise State competitions that would further help to strengthen sporting development in the state.”

Ajani enjoined the stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the proposed legislation, assuring them that their contributions would be considered by the committee in order to make a better law.

A stakeholder from Lagos State Office of Disability, Mr. Babatunde Sobur, appealed to the Speaker to appoint a special adviser on disability who would advise the House on the inclusion of persons with disability on any law that passes through the state Assembly so that the interest of persons living with disability in Lagos State will be adequately represented.