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Tag Youths and Sports Minister Sunday Dare

  • Mar, Tue, 2020
Sport

Developments around COVID-19 will determine new dates for Edo 2020, Sports Minister says

Dates
By Ismaila Chafe
Abuja, March 17, 2020 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, says a new date for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) will be announced based on developments around the COVID-19.

Dare had earlier announced that President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed the postponement of the 20th NSF as part of deliberate efforts to check the possible spread of coronavirus in the country.

While speaking later with State House correspondents, after a closed-door meeting with President Buhari, Dare gave no indication of when the Festival would now precisely hold.

“A new date for the festival will be announced based on development around COVID-19,’’ the minister, who spoke in the company of the Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Mamora, said.

He pointed out that the decision to postpone the event followed a meeting of stakeholders, who advised President Buhari appropriately.

Speaking also, Mamora said the postponement was in the overall interest of Nigerians and national health security.

“It is better to err on the side of caution. Therefore, we conveyed to Mr President our thought and Mr President thereafter kindly agreed that it was best for us to have this postponement.

“One of the things that we need to give attention to is the possibility of people carrying the virus even without knowing —- what we call A-Symptomatic. That is, they carry it but they don’t even know because they are not manifesting symptoms.

“And what we need so far is that up to 80 to 81 percent of people would either be A-Symptomatic. That is, not showing any symptoms or, where they show symptoms, the symptoms may just be mild and moderate.

“This is a major source of what we call community transmission.

“So, the principle of social distancing has to be respected. That is preventive or advising against the congregation of large number of people, starting from the NSF.

“That also extends to religious gathering or any other gathering that will have a large number of people. It is not advisable at this point in time.’’(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Mar, Tue, 2020
Sport

FG postpones Edo 2020, as coronavirus claims another sports casualty

Postponement
By Muhyideen Jimoh
Abuja, March 17, 2020 (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the postponement of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged “Edo 2020’’ as a precautionary move against the spread of COVID-19.

The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, announced this on Tuesday via his Twitter handle.

“President Muhammadu Buhari approves the postponement of the National Sports Festival Edo 2020 as a precautionary move against COVID-19 spread.

“Following the briefing of Mr. President from myself and the Minister of State for Health on COVID 19, Mr. President approved the immediate postponement of Edo Sports festival to a future date,” he said in a series of tweets.

The Special Adviser on Media to the minister, John Joshua-Akanji, also confirmed the postponement to NAN in an interview.

He however stressed that details would be provided later as the minister was still meeting with relevant stakeholders, following his briefing of Mr President.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 20th NSF was scheduled to kick off on Sunday at the newly-renovated Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

The competition, which was last held in December 2018 in Abuja and now billed to hold at the stadium and 16 other venues in Benin, was expected to end on April 1.(NAN)
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(Edited by Joseph Edeh and Olawale Alabi)

  • Mar, Mon, 2020
Sport

Sports Minister rules out postponement of Edo 2020 over coronavirus fears

Fears
Abuja, March 2, 2020 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, on Monday said the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) would not be postponed due to the fear of the spread of coronavirus.

Dare, who spoke through Peter Nelson, the ministry’s Director of Planning/member of the festival’s Main Organising Committee (MOC), said there was no cause for alarm.

“The 20th NSF tagged `Edo 2020’ is on track. The Games will go on as scheduled. There is nothing to be worried about.’’

He disclosed that he (Dare) had directed the setting up of an isolation centre to take care of any case of the virus.

“The ministry’s Director of Sports Medicine is already working closely with the Edo State Government to ensure a hitch-free Festival. We have no doubt that everything  will work well.”

Nelson said the rumour about postponing the Festival was unfounded and emanating “from mischievous people whose wish cannot come to pass.

“We are on top of the situation and we are going to have a very successful Festival.’’

He assured that the Ministry was on course in all preparations, after its officials embarked on an inspection last week.

“We found out that all the facilities are almost ready, with finishing touches being put on some.

“To underscore the importance and readiness for the Festival, the Minister had met last week with officials of the Ministry of Health and a delegation of WHO to collaborate on  how to curb communicable diseases like tuberculosis and  other viral infections.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2020 NSF is billed to hold from March 22 to April 1 in Benin.(NAN)
OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Feb, Fri, 2020
Sport

NSF 2020: Sports Minister commends Edo govt. on quality of facilities provided so far

Commendation
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Feb. 28, 2020 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, on Friday in Benin commended the Edo government for the state-of-the-art facilities put in place ahead of the National Sports Festival (NSF).

Dare, who was represented by Gabriel Aduda, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, made the commendation shortly after inspecting facilities at the University of Benin, Federal Girls College and the Ogbemudia Stadium.

“With what we have seen today especially, the sports facilities are extremely heart-gladdening, compared with what we saw about three weeks ago when we came for inspection.

“There is a huge difference and a lot is being done to complete most of the facilities.’’

The minister added that the inspection team had not only looked at sports facilities.

“We have also looked at the facilities the athletes require for other things, like the changing rooms, the offices, the work spaces and all and it is amazing how much the state has been able to achieve,’’ he said.

Dare however pointed out that the only place the team had seen a challenge for now was in the accommodation of athletes.

“But, also, we are looking up to the state government, to see what they will be able to do. So, we are expecting another miracle in the area of accommodation for the athletes.

“We are expecting a miracle in the next two to three weeks, even though it is not near what we expect at this time.

“However, we are extremely happy that the state is putting in its best, and by the time we come in for another inspection, we expect to see a huge lift forward in providing a befitting accommodation for the athletes.

“We are hoping that the accommodation that they preparing for athletes will be in place before the next two weeks when we will come for another inspection,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facilities inspection team also had Habu Gumel, the President of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).(NAN)
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(Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Sports Minister pledges to revamp Principal’s Cup, Headmaster’s Cup competitions

Grassroots
By Muhyideen Jimoh
Abuja, Oct. 25, 2019 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, on Friday in Abuja pledged to revamp the Principal’s Cup and Headmaster’s Cup competitions in the secondary and primary schools respectively.

Dare said this would be part of the renewed bid by the Youths and Sports Development to deepen the development of sports at the grassroots.

The minister made the pledge when officials of the National Youth Games (NYG) and Nigerian Tulip International School in Abuja paid him a courtesy visit.

He said his ministry would be working closely with the Federal Ministry of Education to repackage and re-launch the two competitions as part of plans to mix sports and education, especially at the grassroots.

“The competition will involve primary and secondary schools across the country with the aim to grow and nurture a new generation of athletes that will take over from the older ones.’’

The minister also said arrangements had been concluded with some private schools to sponsor athletes recently discovered at the 5th NYG held in Ilorin in September.

“Nigerian Tulip International School is partnering with the ministry to give the athletes 100 per cent scholarship for their secondary school education,” he said.

Dare said the ministry has also launched a campaign titled “Adopt an Athlete”, which is targeted at individuals and corporate bodies adopting a number of athletes and training them.

The Vice-Principal (Academics) of Nigerian Tulip International School, Bob Ushie, in his remarks, thanked the minister for “coming to turn around sports in the country’’.

Ushie said the school thought it wise to develop students in education and sports in order to have well-rounded youths who could win laurels for Nigeria in the future.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no less than 25 kids discovered from the last NYG will be given full scholarship in the school.(NAN)
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(Edited by Modupe Adeloye and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Brazil friendly will be good test for Super Eagles, Sports Minister says

Test
By Kelechi Ogunleye
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2019 (NAN) Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, on Saturday in Abuja said the upcoming friendly game between Nigeria and Brazil would expose the Super Eagles’ strengths and weaknesses.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three-times African champions Super Eagles will take on Brazil at the Singapore National Stadium in Kallang on Oct. 13.

This is coming 23 years after Nigeria, on their way to winning Africa’s first Olympic football gold medal, spanked the Selecao 4-3 after extra-time.

This was in the semi-finals at the Athens Stadium in the State of Georgia, U.S.

Dare said that even though the Oct. 13 game was a friendly, there was a lot at stake for both countries, describing it as a good test for the Super Eagles.

“The game in Singapore is a friendly, but also it is a friendly that we think will test our boys and we will see how prepared they are.

“It will also show our strong departments and areas where we are weak, so, we look forward to a very engaging and interesting game.

“We all know that Brazil is reputed to be a footballing nation and Nigeria is also one. We have ego at play even though it’s a friendly, but we have two great footballing nations playing a friendly and we hope Nigeria will excel.

“I am not one that predicts matches, but I hope our boys will play excellently well because we have got talents on that team and I know they will show what they have got on the day,” he said.

Dare also said the Buhari administration was committed to ensuring an all-round development of sports, adding that the Sports Ministry was ready to work with all the federations in the country.

“Let me also say, like I used to say, that I have brought to sports development in this country a fresh insight, an injection of a new dynamism in sports administration.

“In the past, there were distractions. But we will not be distracted, our eyes are set at the tip of the spear, we have a template and we will follow our plans.

“Also, we will go by the rule of law and also work with all federations, so long as the leadership is recognised by law.

“At that point, we owe it to Nigerians to work with them to such a point where we can develop every sports activity in our country the way they should be and put them in the right perspective,” the minister said.(NAN)
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(Edited by Remi Koleoso and Olawale Alabi)