The State Minister for Sports Hon. Hamson Denis Obua needed no invitation to express his hope that the funds allocated to the Sports sector will more than increase in the coming financial year budget in the country.
This he said while addressing the delegates and FUFA stakeholders at the 97th General Assembly held at Wash & Wills Hotel in Mbale City on Saturday, August 21,2021. It was at the same event where Moses Magogo was reelected to the position of federation president.
Obua, who was the guest of honour at the event graced the occasion for his very first time in office and expressed gratitude towards the invitation by the Federation.
“I’m pleased to have been invited to preside over the 97th FUFA Ordinary General Assembly. I will confess this is my first time attending such an arrangement.” Obua stated.
He further admitted to the fact that football is the biggest game in the land and congratulated the Federation for setting up a governance body and deliberate structures to oversee proceedings.
In a meeting attended by delegates and football stakeholders like the UPL and Big League teams among others, Obua highlighted that the purpose is to build an effective working team and most importantly find ways of developing sports in general.
“All the delegates and stakeholders here are very important in the development of the game. We gathered to build a team and not to destroy one. The other reason is to conduct a SWOT analysis to establish the current and future of the game.” He added.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, sport, like many sectors that receive their funding from the government, suffered budget cuts for this particular period. FUFA however has Ugx. 10Billion ring-fenched to them and that hasn’t changed.
While addressing this particular matter, Obua stated: “In two consecutive years, our budget as the sports sector has reduced and the justification is the outbreak of COVID-19.”
He would also speak about the importance of bringing sports people into the parliament, admitting that they will lay on table the pressing sport issues and those requiring attention from the state.
His optimism about an increase in funding is however yet to waver as he pledged that the funding will hit Ugx. 25Billion with the help of the Ministry of Education and Sports.
He would however conclude by indicating that there was need to ensure that the rise in performances moved hand in hand with the funding of the sports sector.
