Mutorwa ask for more money into sport

SPORT Minister John Mutorwa has urged companies and individuals to make financial contributions to the Sport Development Fund, which was called into life in 2003.

The fund is administered by the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC) and aims to help fund various sporting codes when they compete internationally or in major national events. Mutorwa was speaking at the announcement of a N$200 000 NamPower sponsorship for the Namibia Basketball Federation (NBF) late last week.He said Government was making money available for sport development every year, but more was needed.”We are inviting the private sector, individuals and other organisations to make a contribution.I am urging you to become partners in making a contribution to the Sport Development Fund so that codes can be able to carry out their tasks,” he said.He said contributions towards clubs and teams were good initiatives that were supported by Government.”As long as the objective is noble to develop sport in the country.It does not matter how small it is, as long as you have made a difference,” he said.Mutorwa also warned that sports people and administrators should respect the rules and regulations laid down in each code.He said those who respected authority tended to come out as disciplined people, but added that the agenda of sport was much broader than the benefits individuals received from it.NBF president Talitha Jario said she wanted basketball to become the number one sport by 2030.She said the NBF’s partnership with NamPower since 1999 signified the commitment of both entities to build a foundation for the future of the game.Jario is only the second female president of the game in Africa and the first in Namibia.She took over from Ndeulipula Hamutumwa earlier this year and vowed to concentrate on skills development from the youth level and making the game popular in all the corners of the country.Nampower’s manager for marketing and corporate communications, John Kaimu, said although the basketball sponsorship for this year ought to have been at around N$350 000, it was brought down to N$200 000 because of other activities the company was involved in.He said NamPower would continue to support basketball and hoped that the sponsorship would increase by at least 50 per cent next year, before he presented a cheque of N$200 000 to Jario and Mutorwa.Kaimu in fact pledged a further N$20 000 to the N$200 000 on the evening.The Embassy of the United States pledged to support the sport for the years to come and will within the next year fork out at least N$10 000 towards it.The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) promised to dedicate at least two hours on a weekend to showcase the local game.Mutorwa was speaking at the announcement of a N$200 000 NamPower sponsorship for the Namibia Basketball Federation (NBF) late last week.He said Government was making money available for sport development every year, but more was needed.”We are inviting the private sector, individuals and other organisations to make a contribution.I am urging you to become partners in making a contribution to the Sport Development Fund so that codes can be able to carry out their tasks,” he said.He said contributions towards clubs and teams were good initiatives that were supported by Government.”As long as the objective is noble to develop sport in the country.It does not matter how small it is, as long as you have made a difference,” he said.Mutorwa also warned that sports people and administrators should respect the rules and regulations laid down in each code.He said those who respected authority tended to come out as disciplined people, but added that the agenda of sport was much broader than the benefits individuals received from it.NBF president Talitha Jario said she wanted basketball to become the number one sport by 2030.She said the NBF’s partnership with NamPower since 1999 signified the commitment of both entities to build a foundation for the future of the game.Jario is only the second female president of the game in Africa and the first in Namibia.She took over from Ndeulipula Hamutumwa earlier this year and vowed to concentrate on skills development from the youth level and making the game popular in all the corners of the country.Nampower’s manager for marketing and corporate communications, John Kaimu, said although the basketball sponsorship for this year ought to have been at around N$350 000, it was brought down to N$200 000 because of other activities the company was involved in.He said NamPower would continue to support basketball and hoped that the sponsorship would increase by at least 50 per cent next year, before he presented a cheque of N$200 000 to Jario and Mutorwa.Kaimu in fact pledged a further N$20 000 to the N$200 000 on the evening.The Embassy of the United States pledged to support the sport for the years to come and will within the next year fork out at least N$10 000 towards it.The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) promised to dedicate at least two hours on a weekend to showcase the local game.