WINDHOEK – An audit report on the accounts of the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service for the 2017/18 fiscal year – conducted by the Office of the Auditor General – shows a persistent decline in interest by various sports federations and stakeholders in using government sports facilities.

In a lengthy audit report on the various accounts of the ministry for the 2017/18 financial year, the Auditor General indicated that actual revenue from the ministry’s stadiums and other sporting facilities was N$45 965, which is N$254 000 less than the estimated revenue of N$300 000 for the year under review.

The N$45 965 revenue recorded in 2017/18 shows a slight increment from the N$45 750 recorded in the 2016/17 fiscal year – which is a mere N$215 increment.

Further compared to the 2015/16 fiscal year when the ministry amassed N$61 500 from stadium income and the N$55 750 revenue recorded in the 2015/14 financial year, it indicates a continuous worrying decline in revenue from the stadiums and other sporting facilities across the country.

The Auditor General indicated that revenue from stadiums and other sporting facilities is difficult to accurately predict, as the demand for the usage of ministerial facilities cannot be determined in advance. The Auditor General also worryingly noted that the demand from the public to utilise the government facilities is low and continues to decline in many respects.

It is not clear whether government sporting facilities are of poor standard compared to private facilities and therefore the declining interest from the public, or whether monitoring and evaluation systems and processes at various government stadiums are just not effective enough when it comes to accurately recording the actual usage and revenue grossed.