By CHIMEZIE ANASO

Patrick-Agha Mba Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development in Anambra, has outlawed cash payment of rent on stadium and sports facilities in the state.

Mba gave the directive after he led some staff of the ministry on a tour of sports facilities in the state on Wednesday.

He said the tour was to assess the state of sports facilities in Anambra with a view to upgrading them to standards befitting for execution of the grassroots sports policy of the government.

“From now onward, all legal tenants at our stadia will no longer pay rents by cash; they should now pay directly into the state government account through the Anambra Revenue Service.

“This new payment system is in line with the directive of Mr Governor and it is part of our effort to streamline collection and contribute to the State Internally Generated Revenue profile,” he said.

Mba directed owners of private property within the stadium facilities who did not have approval documents to remove them immediately.

He said sports would be developed from the grassroots under the supervision of the local government councils and that necessary iinvestments would be made to provide adequate facilities to drive the policy.

Some of the facilities visited were Otuocha Stadium, Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium, Godwin Achebe stadium, Idemili, Ekwulobia Stadium and Awka Stadium.(NAN)