Oshana Governor Elia Irimari said his region will be in a position to host the much-anticipated The Namibian Newspaper Cup if time permits to do so in future. The Cup was set to be one of the biggest sporting events in the region this year and ultimately set to uplift the region's economy, but COVID-19 related challenges led to its cancellation. Elia Irimari said the region had budgeted close to a million Namibia dollars to upgrade the Oshakati Independence Stadium and host the Cup there. These renovations included the replacement of the Soccer Field Lawn, ablution facilities, the netball and Basketball courts among others. The Cup was scheduled to take place in April but had to be postponed for an indefinite period following the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country in March. “We all know that the Namibian newspaper cup with its popularity and ingenuity has the potential to stimulate Local Economic Development through Sport Tourism which is one of our key areas. The region has invested substantially in different aspects to ensure its preparedness to host the newspaper cup. And therefore we are looking forward to host this important sports event when time comes“Irimari said. The governor assured sport spectators that the region will continue to strive for upgrading its sporting infrastructure as sports brings along with it various benefits for the local people. He said, sporting events of such magnitude enhance sports development, while creating economic opportunities for accommodation establishments, as well as providing opportunities for local entrepreneurs to sell their goods during such activities.