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Tag Solomon Dalung

Sport

Our sports federations reforms are already working, Dalung says

NAN-S-17
Assurance
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Aug. 30, 2017 (NAN) The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, on Wednesday said it was just a matter of time before Nigeria returned to its rightful place among the best in sports.

Dalung told newsmen in Abuja he was confident that Nigeria would soon be reaping the benefits of recent reforms in the national sports federations.

“The current outstanding performances by Nigerian teams in various events point to the fact that the reforms are yielding good results,’’ he said.

Reflecting on Nigerian athletes’ performance at the 2017 World Athletics Championships held in London from Aug. 4 to Aug. 13, Dalung said it was not a disappointment.

He said this was because most of the athletes who represented the country were trained at home.

“And, for most of them, they were there in London on their first outing.

“We all know that to produce a medal material, you need not less than six to eight year of intense training. And, if you are lucky, after the first four years you can get a bronze medal.

“The athletes we took to London are our new prospects in athletics, and we have already sent signals that Nigeria is coming up,’’ the Youth and Sports Minister said.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

National Sports Federation board elections: Dalung urges electoral committee members to ensure credibility, fairness

NAN-S-17

Inauguration
By Ja’afar Lawal/Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, June 12, 2017 (NAN) Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports, on Monday in Abuja urged members of the electoral committees for the National Sports Federation elections to deliver transparent and credible elections.

Dalung gave the advice when he inaugurated the 93 members of the 31 electoral committees for the 2017 National Sports Federation elections.

He said conducting elections had never been an easy task, adding that it required courage, resilience and integrity.

Dalung listed some of the committees’ mandates to include: verification of candidates’ qualifications, conduct of elections for the zonal members, Vice-Presidents and Presidents of the federations.

He however said that a candidate could only be disqualified from contesting the elections based on the elections’ guidelines.

“The electoral officer must have the courage to do what is right, fair and just. He must have the resilience to weather the storm of criticism and unfair allegations.

“In our case, elections into the National Sports Federations are made even more difficult by the fact that sports is our national passion and everyone wants us to get it right.

“Apart from the transition from the old tradition, where 13 people are appointed into the boards to elect the Federation president, the expansion of the Electoral College from 13 to 54 people is a unique challenge.

“It is in this context that I congratulate each of the members of the committees for their nomination.

“This indicates the hope and belief of the nation in your abilities to deliver this assignment right,” the minister said.

Dalung said it was important to get the elections right, adding that it was the foundation of the change the present adminstration was trying to establish.

 He said the outcome of the elections would either justify or vilify the ministry’s intentions.

“It is the credibility of the process that will vindicate our stand to democratise the Sports Federations.

“If the process is fair, transparent and credible, both winners and losers will have a sense of victory because each party will know that the results were deserved,” the minister said.

Dalung said National Sports Federations were responsible for the growth of their respective sport and were expected to work with their respective affiliated Sports Associations.

He added that the Federations were also expected work with the private sector and ensure private initiatives work for the overall development of their sports.

“This makes it imperative to get the leadership of our sports federations right as the existing electoral process is usually manipulated, not transparent and not in line with international best practices.

“We hope that with these elections, all these will be changed and we are counting on the members of the electoral committees to make this happen,” Dalung said.

In the same vein, Dalung also inaugurated a seven-member Electoral Appeal Committee to look into all complaints arising from the elections.

He urged the members to be fair, transparent and unbiased in the discharge of their duties.

“You are expected to imbibe unbiased virtues in the discharge of your duties,” the minister said.

 Responding on behalf of the electoral committees, Kaifas Lar, one of the committees’ chairmen, pledged to conduct fair and transparent elections.(NAN)
JL/DE/OFN/OLAL
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(Edited by Felix Nwadioha and Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

FG will not interfere in sports federations’ elections, Dalung says

NAN-S-7
Elections
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, March 28, 2017 (NAN) Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports, on Tuesday reassured that the Federal Government would not interfere in the sports federations’ elections billed to hold in April.

Dalung, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, said the elections whose guidelines would soon be out would be democratic.

He said government has made it clear that it was not going to nominate anybody into any of the boards of the national federations.

“Government has also made it categorically clear that elections of members of the national federation boards must be democratic.

“Anybody who wants to be a leader or member of the federations must enjoy the support of the active members of the federation.

“The role of the ministry will be to be properly in tune with the guidelines. I will arm myself with a red flag and the whistle.

“We will roll out the rules and watch those who will follow the rules,’’ the minister said.

Dalung said that it was the duty of members of the federations to remove board members who have stayed too long and were not making any impact.

He said he was confident that the Ministry of Youths and Sports, on behalf of the Federal Government, would make sure that nobody manipulated the elections.(NAN)
DE/IKU/OLAL
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(Edited by Tayo Ikujuni and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

81 Polytechnics to feature in 2017 NIPOGA Games, LOC says

NAN-S-24

NIPOGA
Abuja, March 17, 2017 (NAN) Eighty-one polytechnics will be participating in the 19th Edition of the Nigerian Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) slated for April 26 to May 6 at the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa.

Aisha Audu-Emeje, member of the 19th NIPOGA Local Organising Committee (LOC), disclosed this when a delegation of the LOC visited the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, in Abuja.

A statement on Friday signed by Tolu Makinde, Director Information in the ministry, the LOC solicited for the ministry’s support in organising a hitch-free event.

It reported Audu-Emeje, a former First Lady of Kogi State, as saying skills acquisition and entrepreneurial training were some of the innovations introduced and lined up for this year’s games.

She said this was “to ensure that the 19th Games expands the frontiers of talent development and self-employment generation for the youths’’.

Audu-Emeje said the games was being re-positioned in line with Federal Government’s resolve to make sports promotion an instrument of national peace and integration.

She solicited the ministry’s partnership in both cash and kind for the realisation of the objective.

On his part, Dalung promised to return schools sports in Nigeria to a prime place as part of efforts to promote grassroots sports development in the country.

“This is the right way to go, if Nigeria is to realise its potential as a giant of sports in Africa and the world.’’

Dalung expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation for the forthcoming games, and gave his endorsement for the games.

He then called for the support of the organised private sector to make the sports fiesta a huge success.

“NIPOGA has been part of several games in Nigeria which have produced athletes for the nation”.

Dalung who was named the Patron of the Games promised to consider the LOC request for him to grace the event’s opening ceremony.(NAN)
DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Dalung assures of all-inclusive sports federations’ elections

NAN-S-20

Elections
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Feb. 20, 2017 (NAN) Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports, on Monday in Abuja assured that the Federal Government would not interfere in the upcoming national sports federations elections.

Dalung, according to a statement signed by Nneka Ikem-Anibeze,
the Special Assistant (Media) to the minister, gave the assurance while defending the ministry’s 2017 Budget at the National Assembly.

He said a summit of federation presidents would hold very soon to drive the sector and redirect energy towards grassroots sports.

“Government through the ministry will be neutral in the forthcoming federation elections and there will be no Federal Government nominees.

“We however insist that those with the interest of driving sports without total dependence on government’s funds should contest.

“We want to build strong and robust federations and reinvigorate them for better performances.

“That informed our basis for taking steps to reorganise the federations to be more effective,’’ the minister said.

He however said government was also aware of the challenges the federations have over funding.

“Unless discipline is restored in the federations, prudence and effective management of resources will continue to have problems.

“Government alone will not fund sports. So, we need federations to augment whatever they receive from the ministry by raising sponsorship and partnerships with the private sector,’’ Dalung said.

He insisted that if there was no credibility in the running of the federations, the private sector operators would not invest in sports in the country.

Dalung stated that the need to restore confidence in Nigerian sports and the federations needed to start with an all-inclusive process in the forthcoming elections.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

SWAN condoles Dalung on wife’s death

NAN-S-17

Condolence
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Jan. 30 (NAN) The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has condoled the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, on the demise of his wife, Mrs Briskila Dalung.

In a condolence message on Monday in Abuja signed by Olawale Alabi, the Association’s Secretary-General, SWAN said it was pained by the news of Briskila demise.

“Her death, which occurred after a brief illness, has no doubt left behind a vacuum which will be difficult to fill.

“We can only pray Almighty God in His Infinite Mercy to give you the fortitude to bear the loss, however,’’ he said.

SWAN also prayed that God should avert any more of such deaths, and keep safe those Briskila left behind.

“On behalf of SWAN members nationwide, please accept our condolences as we pray God to strengthen you and the rest of your family at this time of grief,’’ he said.

NAN reports that Briskila died in the early hours of Sunday after a brief illness.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

National sports federations/associations get new secretaries

NAN-S-25
Secretaries
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Jan. 24, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports on  Tuesday in Abuja announced the reshuffling of secretaries of national federations and associations.

Nneka Ikem-Anibeze, the Special Assistant on Media to Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports, in a statement, quoted him as saying the action was “necessary to ensure professionalism and national spread’’.

“In the new dispensation, all six geo-political zones are represented to achieve efficiency, professionalism and national spread for equality and sustainability.’’

Ikem-Anibeze also announced some deployments in the ministry, with the long-serving secretaries being moved to the departments and a new set of ministry staff assigned to the federations/associations.

“Segun Oguntade, Olumide Bamiduro, Gloria Ekwempu, Ademu Elijah, Niyi Beyioku, Abobi Patrick and Olalekan Alabi were redeployed to the Federation and Elite Athletes Department (FEAD).

“Patrick Okeke, Clement Iyaluegbehe, Ajao Olufemi, Ganiyu-Opolo Abidemi and Dapo Akinyele were also posted to the Grassroots Sports Development Department.

“In the same vein, Chinedu Ezealah, Thecla Opara and Iwang Isreal will move to the Sports Planning, Research and Documentation Department.

“Uche Onwumeh and Mbora Ikana were deployed to the Lagos Liaison Office, while Onyeka Augustine, Birma Ademu and Ogenyi Queen are moved to Human Resource Management.’’

Ikem-Anibeze further quoted Dalung as saying all appointments were with immediate effect.

“I urge the new appointees to be diligent and desist from acts capable of undermining the authority of the ministry.

“They should also work towards the uplifting of sports development in the country,’’ the minister was quoted as saying.

Below is the list of Federations and their Secretaries after the deployments and reshuffling:

 

Athletics                             ——      Kabiru Yusuf

Aquatics                              ——     Sani Mohammed

Badminton                          ——      Patience Okon.

Basketball                           ——      Osuoha Chinedu.

Boxing                               ——       Asiegbu Chimezie

Chess                                 ——-      Bisi Azeez

Cricket                              ——-        Akawo Amechi

Cycling                              ——       Davies Oludare

Darts                                 ——       Ademola Okeyedun

Deaf sports                         ——      Agbabiaka Lukman

Fives                                  ——         Abulude Oladayo

Golf                                   ——           James Eakyns

Gymnastics                       ——-        Amayo Ngozi

Handball                           ——-         Nwose Nonye

Hockey                          ——-             Rita Akande

Judo                                 ——-           Idaye Tony

Karate                              ——-           Bola Adedeji

Kick boxing                    ——–            Peter Njoku

Kung-fu                           ——–            Etim Udokang

Rowing and yatching         ——–        Bunmi Oluode

Rugby                                ——–       Mohammed Maigidansanma

Shooting                             ——–         Oludukiya Emmanuel

Scrabble                             ——–         Maikano Adamu

Squash                              ———           Aminu Samuel

Traditional Sports              ——-          Ademisoro Oluwasegun

Table tennis                       ——-           Balewa Augustine

Tennis                                ——-            Mariam Akande

Taekwondo                        ——–            Oriss Dennis

Volleyball/beach volleyball   ——       Salisu Mamman

Weightlifting                           ——-       Umar Lambu

Wrestling                                ——-        Libata Ahmed

Para-Sports:

Amputee Football                   ——-     Javan Bernard

Para Athletics                        ——-           Fabunmi Evelyn

Para Swimming                     ——-         Enang  Emmanuel

Para Table Tennis                   ——        Anusa Victor

Powerlifting                           ——-          Paul Okocha

Wheelchair tennis                  ——-        Abbas Wasilat

Wheelchair Basketball           ——-           Omagbemi Peter

Sitting Volleyball                   ——–         Amadikwa Uchechi
(NAN)
DE/DS/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Minister advises state governors to use security votes to develop sports

NAN-S-19
Sports
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Jan. 12, 2017 (NAN) Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports, on Thursday in Abuja advised state governors to direct part of their respective state security votes into sports development.

Dalung, while speaking at the grand opening of Dakinda Penalty Football Game, said this would enhance security in the states and allow for social security.

“I am using this medium to appeal to all governors who have so much security vote to spend and have spent a lot on security to redirect such money to sports development.

“This will give them the greatest peace. We don’t need physical security but we need social security.

“If our people are secure in their minds and are secure of their future, there will be no problem in Nigeria,’’ he said.

The minister also said sports could be better managed by government with more responsibility assigned to the private sector since sports is business.

He said the Dakinda penalty football game was one that would create wealth for the youth.

“Today the Dakinda Penalty Football Game’s potential is enormous, because wealth will be created. More people will be engaged and job will be created,’’ Dalung said.

He said the Nigeria’s sports industry would be repositioned if the private sector would come in to drive the industry.

“I am assuring Nigerians that there is hope for Nigeria. Young people should not lose hope. It was bad yesterday, but it does not mean that tomorrow will not be good.

“On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, I restate our commitment to ensure that sports development takes a priority,’’ Dalung said.

Earlier, the Chairman of League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, had called on sports stakeholders to join hands to develop football in Nigeria.

He said the Dakinda game would create at least 5,000 jobs, adding that no industry could generate this number of jobs so fast.

“This project is not only creating jobs, but it is a way of distributing wealth to the Nigerian populace and to create an opportunities for people to achieve their dreams.

“Aside wealth distribution, it will also raise funds for football development in the country,’’ Dikko said.

Adolphus Ekpe, the Director-General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), said the commission partnered with the Dakinda game organisers because of its transparency.

“We want to marry lottery with sports, not just Dakinda, but we are developing other sports lottery games.

“However, we decided to partner with Dakinda because this kind of lottery creates employment and an opportunity for youths to be gainfully engaged, rather than get involved in social vices.’’

The Founder and Chairman of the Dakinda Football For Every Home project, Emmanuel Akpakwu, said the Dakinda Penalty Game was a revolutionary sports lottery game.

He said every N100 ticket possessed gives the holder the potential to win N5,000 instantly when he or she scores a goal.

Akpakwu said the game does not only give the player true opportunities to win but the outcome was primarily determined by the individual’s playing skills.

“The Penalty Game is in a class of its own and there are no limits to what players can achieve.

“One major target is youth empowerment, and it is therefore apposite to state that youth restiveness and vices are expected to be on the decline after today, if our youths take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Dakinda game.

“The Dakinda Penalty Game is designed to increase the entertainment value of football with a focus on taking spot-kicks.

“With just one ball and one goal, eligible players can make money from football and live a good life,’’ he said.

Akpakwu said the project was in partnership with former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu to bring smile to faces of all sports-loving families.(NAN)
DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)