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Tag Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development

Sport

NESG, ministry call for more synergy between sports and tourism sectors

Synergy
By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos, Feb. 11, 2020 (NAN) The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and Ministry of Youths and Sports Development on Tuesday called for more synergy between the sports and tourism sectors to boost the necessary infrastructure development.

The call was made at the NESG and Ministry of Youths and Sports Development Partnership Forum for a robust deliberation and recommendations on sports development in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders forum tagged “Sports Industry Stakeholders Engagement Session Agenda” was held at the NESG headquarters in Lagos.

It had sports administrators, ministry officials, private and public sector officials and other sports investors in attendance.

Some contributors at the forum called for the development of indigenous sports activities, such as Argungu Festival which could be turned to fishing competition and Durban Festival, aside others.

They also called for the hosting of more international tournaments as a means of upgrading and providing more infrastructure in the country.

The forum equally called for a redesigning of sports facilities to multi-purpose facilities to allow for other programmes when sports are not ongoing in them.

There was also a call for more community-based sports activities in the local government areas to engage the youths at the grassroots.

The former Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), and the Head, Sports Policy Group, Kweku Tandoh, called for more synergy between the tourism and sports industries.

He said this would allow for a symbiotic relationship to fast track infrastructure development.

Tandoh submmited that sports and tourism collaborations would engender a seamless bidding for major competitions and tournaments.

“There should be a lot of synergy between sports and tourism. In fact, there should be a sports desk in tourism industry and same should also be replicated in the sports industry.

“It is only through tourism and sports that our youths can be well engaged. When bidding for tournaments, there should be a tourism development consideration as part of the bid.

“The bid for tournaments encompasses knowing how much the hospitality sector can also accommodate the number of those coming. This includes, hotels, cinemas and others.

“The Sydney Olympics organisers were the first to declare profit after the Games, because they tagged it alongside tourism development and their nationals were well ready for it,” he said.

Tandoh noted that Australia had the highest post-event returns after the Sydney Olympics because of the appreciation of the country’s tourism agenda.

“Australia has the highest number of post-event returns to their country after the Sydney Olympics because the country was able to fuse tourism and sports.

“The government of Australia did a lot of sensitisation for the citizens on the expectations from the tournament and the high return on investment expected from the Games.

“The Australian government has been preparing the minds of the people for more than two years before the event, because they saw the need to have hospitality aspect.

“There is a need to have us, as a country, take a look at that template so as to develop our tourism sector together with sports for growth and development,” he said.

Another contributor, Deji Omotoyinbo, called for good content from various sports associations and federations so that their various competitions would receive the right sponsorships needed.(NAN)
KOJE/CEO/OLAL
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(Edited by Chidi Opara and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Sports Ministry to camp discovered NYG athletes for nurturing, Minister says

Camp
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus/Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 15, 2019 (NAN) Youths and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare, on Sunday said the ministry was planning to have a camping system to nurture athletes discovered at the ongoing 5th National Youth Games (NYG).

Dare told newsmen in Ilorin after addressing some of the discovered athletes that the ministry would go beyond handing the athletes over to the national sports federations for follow-up.

He assured that there would be a renaissance in grassroots sports development.

“We are going to have some kind of rennaisance when it comes to grassroots development and that is at the local government and the state leveld.

“What we are planning to do at the ministry is to hand over the discovered athletes to the different federations.

“The work of the federations is to develop these talents further and nurture them.

“But, we will be going beyond sending them to the federations, as we want to involve a camping system where we will be able to monitor them and nurture them into sports professionals,” Dare said.

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was ready to apply the same political will and spirit into sports to address the lingering challenges.

“Presently in the country we are facing challenges in terms of resources and its management, but the present administration is ready to direct the will in other sectors into sports.

“Also, we will be concentrating on the management, upgrade and maintenance of facilities,”  Dare said.

The minister added that the federal sports ministry would help each state surmount its challenges in sports.

“Even though it is the responsibility of every state to develop sports, but I understand from my interaction with the Directors of Sports that states are facing challenges.

“I will present their case to the National Executive Council (NEC) and, as a follow-up, I will seek appointment with the state governors to present the pertinent issues raised by the Directors where help is needed.

“We will also hold a large meeting with the Directors to compare notes and learn how other states are doing better.

“Also, we want each state to bring forth a coach and submit same to the ministry,and the ministry would train them occasionally.

“This is because part of our challenges is the technical depth of our coaches, which we need to improve upon,” Dare said.(NAN)
BAY/OOH/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

African Games: Adesola charges federations on adequate preparations

Preparations
By Muhyideen Jimoh
Abuja, July 25, 2019 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development has charged presidents of the 22 sports federations their athletes were heading to the 2019 African Games to ensure adequate preparations.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, who gave the charge on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with the federations’ officials also urged them to ensure good welfare for the athletes.

He said the meeting was meant to review preparations for the Games scheduled for August in Morocco, as well as address challenges and fashion a way forward for a good outing.

“This meeting is to review issues, address the challenges and take a look at the progress report as we prepare for the 2019 African Games in Morocco.

“I urge you all (Presidents of Federations) to ensure professionalism, fairness, justice and adequate welfare for the athletes,” the Permanent Secretary said.

Adesola expressed optimism that the athletes would do the nation proud at the Games “because the Federal Government has been working round the clock with the federations to ensure a good outing”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian contingent to the Games will feature in 16 major sports and six other optional sports.

Members of the teams are currently in camps in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Yenegoa.

Speaking later with NAN, Ibrahim Gusau, President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), said their athletes, who are currently camped in Kaduna, were working hard to win medals at the Games.

NAN also reports that the 2019 African Games is scheduled for Rabat in Morocco from Aug. 19 to Aug. 31.(NAN)
MUYI/MA/OLAL
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(Edited by Muftau Adediran and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Administrators must work to end poaching in Nigerian sports, Edo official says

Poaching
By Monday Ajogun
Abuja, Dec. 10, 2018 (NAN) Edo Deputy Director of Sports on Research and Programme, Adeola Oboro, on Monday in Abuja said it was necessary for sports administrators across the federation to go back to the basics.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that sports administrators needed to work out programmes to address the issues of poaching in the country.

“Poaching is a serious issue in Nigeria which needs to be eliminated to encourage grass roots sports development,’’ Oboro said on the sidelines of the ongoing 19th National Sports Festival (NSF).

She said poaching in sports was an act now affecting most states of the federation negatively at the ongoing 19th NSF in Abuja.

“It is a situation where some God-given talents are groomed in their state of origin but are later bought over by richer states,’’ the sports official said.

She also identified high level political manouvering and inducement during sports festivals as another negative issue in sports development.

Oboro described it as a situation where some officials are induced to influence the award of undeserved medals to some powerful states to the detriment of others.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Nigeria risks being delisted by World Anti-Doping Agency, Dalung warns

Doping
By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Abuja, Nov. 19, 2018 (NAN) Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, on Monday in Abuja warned that Nigeria risked being delisted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) if urgent action was not taken.

Dalung, who briefed State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, said Nigeria needed to immediately establish a National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

He said WADA had since given Nigeria a 21-day notice to that effect.

The minister said he had therefore sought the President’s assistance in getting the NADA Bill, which had been in the National Assembly for long, speedily passed into law.

“We are aware that Nigeria has been given a 21-day notice by WADA, that we will be delisted for non-compliance, and Nigerians will wonder why Nigeria is facing this risk for non-compliance.

“By the provisions of the WADA statutes, member-nations are expected to establish independent national anti-doping agencies or organisations.

“In Nigeria, the struggle for the passage of the NADA Bill has been in the National Assembly for a very long time. It has advanced to the concluding stages but, unfortunately, it has remained there.

“We have been pushing, and we have been visiting. We have been mounting pressure, and much has not been done.

“Smaller countries (in comparison with Nigeria) which subscribed to WADA after Nigeria have already established their own agencies.

“Even though we have not been found wanting in terms of testing and performances of our athletes, because we have been performing regular tests of athletes and we have not run risks during competitions, but it is important that we should be compliant in the area of establishing a NADA.’’

Dalung pointed out that NADA’s independence ensures responsibilities of not only tests but random tests — where athletes would be tested any time, whether in competition or out of competition.

He said the training, education, capacity, among others were also the responsibilities of the agency.

The minister said WADA had been writing to the ministry while it (the ministry) had also been replying, as it had hoped to get the legislation passed.

“But it is regretable that the Bill is yet to be passed. So, I drew the attention of the President to this and invited him to intervene because, after 21 days, Nigeria will be banned.

“And a ban from WADA will mean that sports completely in Nigeria will be grounded because none of the national federations will participate in any competition.

“We are all aware that the anti-doping issue has to do with the credibility of a participating country.

“Even this piece of news that has been released has sent some panic signals to most of our fans, partners and those we have been collaborating with.

“So, there is a need for Nigeria to move and have this legislation passed so that we can avoid this risk.’’

Dalung said he also briefed the President on the development, progress and some of the challenges the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development was facing.

He said this briefing was particular on the ministry’s preparations for the 19th National Sports Festival billed for next month in Abuja.

“The National Sports Festival comes up from Dec. 6 to Dec. 16 and it is coming after six years. Therefore, the preparations are in top gear.

“The torch of unity has been moving round the country, and it is in the South-West of the country currently.’’

Dalung said, however, that the ministry was having challenges with funding.

“This is because we initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a sponsor who was going to contribute one-third of the needed funds. But, unfortunately, the sponsor can not make it.

“I need the support of the President for further funding to augment the space created by that vacuum and the President has graciously given his approval to our request if we will submit in writing soon.

“Initially, N900 million was to be raised by government, and we were thinking of getting N400 million from our partner. But, with the failure, it means the Federal Government will now bankroll the N1.2 billion budget required for the festival,’’ he said.

The minister said he also briefed President Buhari on Nigeria’s qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and issues relating to late release of funds.

Dalung said the President also took note of the issues and assured that everything would be done to ensure that all the avoidable challenges were given prompt attention.(NAN)
CJ/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Doping allegation: Committee working on rounding off assignment, secretary says

Investigation

Abuja, May 7, 2018 (NAN) The committee set up to look into alleged violation of doping rules and improper conduct on Monday said it hoped to conclude its interrogation of key actors this week.

The committee’s secretary, Olusegun Akinlotan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the committee’s work was progressing well, as it has been inviting officials for questioning.

“We are going on with our work and we have made progress. From Tuesday, we will begin interactive sessions with key actors.

“We have been inviting officials that were there when the issue occurred. So, we have staggered the interactive sessions.

“This week we will handle the athlete in question and the accused official, as well as some other concerned officials,” he told NAN.

NAN reports that Olumide George, the Vice-President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), and an athlete, Sade Abugan, were alleged to have flouted anti-doping rules during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

This had led the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung,  to set up a five-man Investigative Committee on March 27.

He had given it three weeks to submit its report.

However, Akinlotan had disclosed to NAN on April 16 that the committee’s work was delayed as a result of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in which Nigeria participated.

He also pointed out that it was impossible for an investigative committee to hold proceedings in the absence of concerned parties.

“Around the day the minister was inaugurating the committee, many of its members and other concerned parties travelled the following week for the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

“So, there was no way we could have sat without them because it is an investigative committee.”

Akinlotan however gave the assurance that once the committee finished its cross-examination of those involved this week, it would begin work on its report by next week.

“Hopefully, we will complete the interactive sessions this week. Once that is done, by next week we will start compiling our report,” Akinlotan, who is a deputy director in the Sports Ministry, stated.

NAN reports that the Pius Oteh-led committee was asked to establish whether the Nigerian government was culpable by covering up doping allegations involving athletes and ministry officials.(NAN)

KIA/OLAL

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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)