The Board chairman, Ekiti State Sports Development Trust Fund, ESDTF Hon. Michael Awopetu has said the Trust Fund will help unearth the dearth in the development of sportsmen and sport equipment in the State.
Awopetu who also double as the Sports Commissioner in the State revealed that the Trust Fund will bring about drastic development to the sport sector without solely depending on the State Government.
He noted that there had been a huge dearth in sport equipment to train athletes but assured that funds generated through the Trust Fund will be used to acquire sporting equipment that would enhance the performances of athletes before and during sporting competitions.
“Every political office holder in the State will contribute towards the Sports Development Trust Fund. Governor Kayode Fayemi and his deputy, Bisi Egbeyemi will lead by example in the contribution of funds into the purse of the Trust Fund,” said Awopetu.
“We’ve discovered that there are lot of gaps in terms of funding of athletes and infrastructural deficit that are needed to be bridged which the Trust Fund will address.
“We’ll make sure that funds comes into the coffers of Trust Fund because without funds, we become a toothless bulldog, so we need to work acdiously to making sure that all the funds needed comes on time and at the right time.”
Awopetu further stated that the Trust Fund will focus more on developing athletes, and basically grassroots sport development and also on infrastructural development.
“We need to do these so that some of these athletes can have some of these facilities to work with. There are lot of equipments that are needed for athletes to perform, these are the areas the Trust Fund is going to work on,” Awopetu maintained.
