MPs decry state of NCS facilities

Lack of infrastructure remains one of the major hindrances to sports development in the country.
A failure to improve the existing structures also remains a major deterrent as members of Parliament on the Education and Sports Committee found out on Tuesday.
This was after they made a familiarisation tour of the National Council of Sports (NCS) facilities at Lugogo.

“There is need to increase the amount of funding per sport as well as improving upon the existing sports law. From this tour, we realized that the sports facilities and offices of associations are in a very sorry state. Something urgent needs to be addressed,” noted Entebbe Municipality MP Michael Kakembo Mbwatekamwa.
NCS general secretary Bernard Ogwel is hopeful the visit will help push the sub sector’ pleas for increased funding.

 “Seeing is believing and I am very confident that the members of Parliament especially those on the education and sports committee are now well versed with the state of affairs of sports facilities at the National Council of Sports,” Ogwel noted.
Hon. Abigaba G. Mirembe, shadow Sports Minister and Bukomansibi member of Parliament, Hon. Geofrey Kayemba Ssolo, led the Committee of 16 members
“We have made several justifications for upgrade and renovations of this facility, which is the only indoor sports complex in the country.

Like Hon. Tibasiimwa Joram (Western Uganda representative of older persons in Parliament), who visited this place in 1966, was saying since then there has never been an upgrade since then,” added Ogwel.
The sports budget currently stands at Shs26b, but was cut to Shs17b due to Covid-19.
Last year, The National Council of Sports (NCS) said they needed Shs196b to effectively fund all the associations under it.
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