The Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service was yesterday allocated a total budget of N$279 million for the 2021/22 financial years, marking a reduction of about N$27 million from the N$306 million the ministry received in the previous fiscal year.
Finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi yesterday tabled a N$67.9 billion budget in the National Assembly for the 2021/22 financial year – and of that amount, the sport ministry was allotted a meagre N$279 million for all its activities in the new financial year, which officially starts next month.
The sport ministry will have to cater for all its three directorates (sport, youth and general services) with the N$279 million. Among the many sport and youth projects expected to benefit from this year’s allocation are projects such as the revamping and construction of the Eenhana and Outapi sports complexes, Usakos mini sport complex, Lüderitz Waterfront (sport facilities) as well as the renovation of the Mariental Sport Complex, the multi-purpose youth resource centres in Katima Mulilo, Mariental, Nkurenkuru and Opuwo, as well as the Frans Dimbare youth skills centre in Kavango East.
Reacting to her ministry’s budget allocation, sport minister Agnes Tjongarero said although they were looking forward to a much-improved allocation for the coming financial year, they will, however, have to do with the N$279 million they received, as the country is currently faced with many challenges.
“When you look at our situation as a country, we are faced with the Covid-19 pandemic; we are faced with a housing and sanitation crisis, as well as a raging drought in the Kunene region. So, all these are situations that government has to attend to and all those sectors are equally in need. As a country, we are faced with so many competing priorities, so for one to demand that sport should get more in times like this will really be unfair and unreasonable. But we will see how it goes; we will go plan and see how we can serve our people better with the little that we have,” said Tjongarero.
In the 2018/19 fiscal year, the ministry received N$288.3 million, which was then a massive N$97 million reduction from the N$385 million the ministry was allocated in the 2017/18 financial period.
- ohembapu@nepc.com.na