By Uzor Odigbo
Sports Minister, Sen. John Enoh on Tuesday inaugurated the Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) slated to take place in Ogun State next year.
Inaugurating the committee at the media center inside the MKO Abiola Stadium, National Stadium Complex Abuja, the minister charged members of the committee to work hard to deliver a seamless and successful games.
The minister said delivering a successful games requires hard work AND noted that with the commitment of Ogun state government and the caliber of members of the committee, he was optimistic that the committee would surmount all the challenges to deliver a successful games.
The minister observed that the normal practice was for the funding of the games to be shared between the Ministry of Sports and the state hosting the games. He stated that with the National Sports Industry Policy kicking in, sports should be seen as not only recreation but business.
He observed that after 22 years, the National Sports Games has become a brand capable of attracting corporate sponsorship. The minister therefore encouraged the committee to package the games in such a way to make it attractive for the private sector to sponsor. He described sports as a multi billion business adding that if private sector driven sports industry could work in other climes, there is no reason it should not work in Nigeria.
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Senator Enoh appealed to the private sector and corporate organizations to support sports development in the country.
Responding on behalf of the newly inaugurated committee, Ismaila Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and Chairman of the Organizing Committee informed the Minister that members of the committee were fully aware that the responsibility of organizing successful games rest on them.
He assured him that the committee would mobilise both human and material resources to ensure that the games is hosted without hitches.
Earlier, Wasiu Isiaka, the Ogun state Commissioner of Sports assured the Minister that the state was fully prepared to deliver a successful games.
The Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the National Sports Festival comprises Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary of Sports Development as Chairman and Bukola Olapade, (Chairman LOC) as Vice Chairman. Other members of the committee are Dr. Paul Onyeudo, Olufehinti Olusegun, Mohammed Manga, Gregory Zi, Ms Fadeke Fadeyibi, Engr. Abolore Alanamu, Patrick Okeke, Mrs. Amaka Ashiofu, Prof. Olawale Moronkola, Engr. Habu Gumel, Sunday Odebode, Emmanuel Utobo, Bamiduro Olumide and Brendan Ndifon.