The senate has identified quality football and systematic development of sports as the veritable tools for the stimulation of economic growth as well as raised the financial base of the country.
Senate president, David Mark said at the public hearing on Nigeria football Federation Act organized by the senate committee on sports last Friday that the sector cannot be achieved without systematic planning and development of the sector.
Represented by Senator Abu Ibrahim, Deputy Chief Whip, mark added that Nigeria was long over due in terms of sports development and challenged the sector to key into the global system of sports development.
The senate president who advocated for upgrading of sports to meet the expectations of Nigerians maintained that with the plan review of the sector, there will not be uncertainty; it will enable the administrators to play ahead of time.
Mark who called for short and long term plans for sports also canvassed support from the private sectors as the federal government alone cannot take the sector to its desired height hence the enormous need for sports in the country.
The senate president who decried lip service paid to the sector in the past, concerted effort should be made geared towards launching the nation among the comity of nations.
Earlier, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari had told the committee that Nigeria is currently ranking 28 out of 225 in the world in the area of sports.
According to him, NFS foresee the country becoming among the first 10 in sports globally stressing the need for the law makers to ensure the passage of the new law in the interest of the Nigeria people.