Members of Parliament on the Committee of Education and Sports have embarked on a tour of newly built sports facilities, as well as those still undergoing construction, refurbishment and upgrade, around the country.
The National Council of Sports (NCS), charged by law with overseeing the projects, as well as their use and maintenance, are the designsted tour guides as the MPs assess progress and challenges, as well engage the local leadership and communities living around these facilities.
First stop for the Committee yesterday was the National High Altitude Training Centre (NHATC) in Teryet, Kapchorwa.
Phase One of this facility, strategically placed in the Sebei region that continously churns out the world class long distance athletes that have thrust Uganda into the global limelight, was undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Sports who later handed it over to NCS for onward management.
Special Presidential Assistant Gunter Langer from State House, who was central to the conception and construction of the facility, expounded on the different components of the facility along with NCS General Secretary Dr Bernard Patrick Ogwel; the MPs, led by the Committee's Vice Chairman Hon. Emmanuel Ongiertho (Nebbi Municipality) took the long trek around the sprawling facility, which includes a pitch for football and rugby, as well as the tartan running track and installations for field events that complete that part of the NHATC.
Central to yesterday's inspection too were the Ministry's Commissioner for Education and Sports, Rev. Canon Dr. Duncans Mugumya, the NCS Board led by Moses Anyii Omara (standing in for the Chairman) and members Piloya Evelyn Gloria and Cecilia Anyakoit, as well as State House Engineer Samuel Kasagga, who all led the MPs and the rest of the entourage on a guided and demonstrative walk across the 3.2km synthetic jogging track athletes are meant to use for training.
During the engagement session after the inspection, the Committee tasked NCS and the Ministry to show value for money used on construction of the first phase, and to explain the dynamics around the current status of the facility, it's management and maintenance, as well as accessibility for use by the community, the country and stakeholders home and abroad.
Today, the Committee inspects the ongoing Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium and Lira University Training Ground construction, before moving on to Gulu to look at Pece Stadium and Gulu University tomorrow.