By Ayodele Oni
Ondo State Government has put up for sale the State- owned football club, the Sunshine stars.
As a preparatory to its sale, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has dissolved the Football Agency interim Committee with immediate effect.
Consequently, the Governor has put the management of the Agency under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development pending the constitution of the Board.
Governor Akeredolu has also directed that efforts must be made within one year to find a suitable investor to take over the Football Club on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, thanked members of the interim Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa for a job well-done, while the club was under its management.
Governor Akeredolu reiterated his administration’s commitment to reposition the State Football Agency for optimum performance and result-oriented.
It was gathered that the state government decision to lease out the football club may not be unconnected with its dwindling performance, while government continued to invest in it.
Sunshine stars of Akure, has had its problems even before the inception of the present administration, a situation football analysts blamed on appointment of politicians to handle its affairs, rather than professionals.
The management of the team has been under the office of the deputy governor for over a year before its disolution last week by the Governor.
