DAVID GOMBE
The National Council of Sports (NCS) held it’s interactive online meeting with all member Associations and Federations of Tuesday, 12th, May.
NCS chairman Dr. Donald Rukare chaired the meeting that was addressed by the State Minister for Sports Hon. Hamson Denis Obua and the General Secretary Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel.
Obua stated that Sports activities will have to wait even when the current Coronavirus lockdown is lifted.
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“Sports will resume when Uganda contains the pandemic and no one has the exact answer on when resumption will happen. The other reason is when the Ministry of Education and Sports has followed all the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.
Obua also hinted on the 2020/21 sports budget cut caused by the outbreak of the Pandemic in the country. The Sports sector was supposed to receive Shs25 billion but will now get Shs17 billion.
“The government has had all it’s ministries, departments and agencies budgets for the 2020/21 cut. The total of this cut is Shs402 billion.
“Sports has therefore been halted and will face a cut of Shs8 billion. We shall continue to engage with the speaker and Parliament on these issues throughout the financial year. Council should sit and make adjustment to the preplanned budget once government grant is released knowing it will be less than that planned.”
On the issue of Mandela National Stadium
“We are going to conduct a need assessment to make the necessary rehabilitation on the National stadium which will be presented in cabinet. I agree that this is an old stadium and there’s need for a new modern stadium.”
Obua will on Wednesday address the media and throw more light on the Status of Mandela National Stadium.
For starters, during the first Presidential address on COVID-19 that was held on 18th March, President Museveni closed all sports activities in the country as one of the measures to overcome the pandemic.
