The Kogi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Monday Aridaojo Anyebe, has identified shortage of staff and decaying facilities as part of major challenges facing the ministry, during the 2026 budget defence.
Speaking during his presentation, Hon. Anyebe emphasized that the shortage of professional staff is one of the critical issues limiting the performance of the ministry.
He explained that since the creation of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in 1991, many of its professional staff were inherited from the old Kwara State structure.
“Over the years, several of these staff have exited the service due to the compulsory 35 years of service rule, creating a vacuum that is yet to be filled”.
According to him, the recruitment of more qualified professionals is urgently needed to enhance service delivery.
The commissioner also highlighted the poor state of sports infrastructure across the state, noting that most sporting facilities and youth hubs have remained moribund for many years.
He noted that the decay of infrastructure predates the current administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and even previous administrations before 2015.
Hon. Anyebe appealed to the House Committee to support the ministry’s call for the construction of new facilities and the rehabilitation of existing ones to boost youth and sports development.
Speaking specifically on the Confluence Stadium, the state-owned sports complex, Hon. Anyebe described it as practically unusable in its current condition.
He, however, assured lawmakers that the Ododo administration is making concerted efforts to address the situation.
The commissioner noted that the state government is engaging private partners to renovate and manage the stadium under a Build, Operate, Own and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement, expressing optimism that the initiative would materialize by 2026.
Hon. Anyebe added that once rehabilitated, the stadium would position Kogi State as a hub for major sporting events, leveraging its proximity to Abuja to attract national and international competitions and increase economic activities in the state.
On funding, the commissioner noted that the ministry is burdened with extensive responsibilities covering both youth and sports sectors, and therefore requires increased funding to effectively implement its programmes.
He called for greater financial support to enable the ministry to execute its planned and aligned initiatives.
The Commissioner reassured the people of Kogi State that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo remains committed to addressing the challenges in the sector through strategic partnerships, improved funding, and enhanced internally generated revenue to drive sustainable development.