The Social and Welfare Committee of Parliament has lamented the poor state of most sports facilities, stating that they are in urgent need of renovations.
Committee vice-chairperson Maureen Namwali said this yesterday after touring some sports facilities which are under Malawi National Council of Sports’ management in Blantyre, including Blantyre Sports Arena, formerly Blantyre Youth Centre, BAT Ground and the Hockey Stadium.
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The parliamentary committee also toured Sports Council’s offices in Blantyre to assess the council’s operations and appreciate its challenges.
Namwali described the engagement as an eye-opener, saying it enabled the committee to understand the condition of sports infrastructure.
She said: “We needed to appreciate the condition of the sports facilities and see for ourselves where our athletes are conducting their sporting activities.
“We have seen that the facilities need to be renovated because they are not in good condition.”
Namwali added that the committee would take up the issues with Parliament and explore ways of supporting Sports Council in improving and renovating the facilities.
“When we go back to Parliament, we will see how best we can assist the council to make sure that the sports facilities are renovated,” she said.
Sports Council board chairperson Jim Kalua commended the committee for taking the initiative to visit the council and appreciate its operations and conditions of its sports facilities.
He said regular engagement between Parliament and Sports Council was important in promoting accountability, transparency and effective utilisation of public resources.
“It is necessary and a periodic function to have these meetings. Remember, we use government resources and Parliament is always interested in making sure that resources are put to proper use. We really appreciate the visit,” said Kalua.
He said the visit provided an opportunity for the committee to engage directly with Sports Council leadership and observe some of the challenges affecting sports infrastructure, which plays an important role in athlete development, training and hosting sporting competitions.
Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa said in an interview that the committee held discussions with the Sports Council board and secretariat to appreciate the council’s challenges, with particular focus on the condition of sports facilities and the resources required to support the development of sport in Malawi.
The Social and Welfare Committee of Parliament plays an important role in advocating for resources and supporting the work of the Malawi National Council of Sports and other public institutions within its mandate.
