Open Letter To The Delta State Governor, His Excellency Sheriff Oborevwori

 

His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori,

 

IRRESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT FEES FOR BASKETBALL COURT IN ASABA

 

Congratulations on your first year in office as the Governor of Delta State. We hope your tenure has been productive and that you have been able to make meaningful progress for the people of Delta State.

 

We, the members of the Government House Basketball Club, are writing to express our grave concern about the practice of the Delta State government collecting significant fees from basketball players, both young and veteran, to use the basketball courts that have been built using public funds - particularly the squash court basketball court in Asaba. This is an irresponsible and unethical policy that is harming the development of basketball in the State despite the huge votes given to all PDP candidates.

 

Basketball is an incredibly important sport, especially for the youth of Delta State. It provides opportunities for physical activity, personal growth, and community engagement. By requiring players to pay hefty fees to use the government-built courts, like the one in Asaba, many young and aspiring athletes are being priced out of the sport. This denies them the chance to play, develop their skills, and enjoy the benefits of basketball.

 

Furthermore, even veteran and professional basketball players should not be subjected to these fees. They have dedicated their lives to the sport and often serve as role models and mentors for the younger generation. Charging them fees to use public courts, such as the one in the Government house squash court Asaba, is disrespectful and counterproductive. It discourages them from investing their time and energy in the local basketball community.

 

However, apart from the indoor sports hall at the stadium which is also home to other sports like badminton, tennis and disabled basketball, the state capital has no other basketball court where players can play. Basketball courts are intentionally positioned at various spots in a city for excellent reasons relating to crime reduction and many others.

 

It is deeply concerning that Delta State is the only Government in Nigeria, and potentially the world, that collects fees from players to use public courts built with taxpayers' money. This sport has a unique power to solve youth restlessness, crimes and provide educational scholarships for young people to study abroad. Given that Delta State receives the highest allocation of funding from the federation account in the country, it is truly anomalous that the government would choose to profit from this valuable community resource.

 

There are plans for a peaceful protest to be held in front of the Government House gate on a date that will be communicated to the Delta State Commissioner of Police. The basketball community in Delta State considers this an exploitative practice.

 

We strongly plead that you reconsider this policy. Basketball courts built with public funds, including the squash court basketball court in Asaba, should be freely accessible to all residents of Delta State, regardless of their age or skill level. By removing these excessive fees, you would be demonstrating a real commitment to youth development, community wellness, and the growth of basketball in the region.

 

The State Government should be investing in and enabling more people to play basketball, not pricing them out of the sport. We hope you will take this feedback to heart and make the necessary changes to support the basketball community in Delta State.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Comrade Tuoyo Raymond Ogholaja,
President
Government House Basketball Club (Pacesetters)
07032451421

 

Ikechukwu Osogbue,
Secretary
Government House Basketball Club (Pacesetters)