04 Apr 2022

The incidences of non-communicable diseases ravaging the population can be reduced by regular physical activities, Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Buti Billy has said.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for Tutume community sport facility recently, Billy said the facility would provide people with a venue to undertake physical activities and sports.

He stated that nowadays, health issues cut across the whole population, adding that these could be controlled with physical activities and lives saved.

Furthermore, he said sports presented an important opportunity for young people to be reached and motivated, thus providing useful utilisation of their leisure time and exploring their full potential.

“Some people are sitting on their talents and with provision of such facilities, a lot can be identified, bringing wonders to them and the country,” Mr Billy said.

He said it was for these reasons that government had taken the decision to construct 10 sporting facilities throughout the country including Tutume.

He expressed hope that construction of the facility would create job opportunities for the communities of Tutume sub district albeit being short term. The assistant minister said two companies had been engaged to deliver various components of the facility, which was an opportunity for the locals from across the sub district to seek employment.

The project, he said, was allocated P5 million and was being implemented in collaboration with the ministry of local government and rural development.

Mr Billy acknowledged however that the funds were insufficient to cover all the components of the facility due to drastic increases in commodity prices in recent months.

He therefore urged the district leadership to find alternative sources of funding to augment the allocated funds.

Earlier on in his welcome remarks, Kgosi Tapson Madikwe of Tutume applauded the government for having finally resolved the issues that surrounded the construction of the sporting facility in the area. He said they were disappointed when the funds allocated were transferred to another district, due to delays regarding the location of facility.

Kgosi Madikwe stated that as a district, they managed to agree on the location hence the project has taken off. He said although the facility was being built in Tutume, it was however for all the people of the sub districT. ENDS