AFRICAN GAMES UPDATE:

AFRICAN GAMES UPDATE:

• Sports Minister Senator Enoh meets with different sporting federation Presidents

…Urges Sports Federation leaders to stamp their footprints in gold

…We have the power to change the narrative of our sports – Senator John Enoh to Sporting Federations

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye

  

  

  

The Minister of Sports Development in Nigeria, Senator John Owan Enoh, has charged the Presidents of different National Sports Federations to join hands with the Ministry of Sports Development to guarantee a vast improvement and record breaking performance during the forthcoming 2024 African, Olympic/Paralympic Games.

The Sports Minister made this passionate appeal during a technical meeting with presidents of the various sports federations.

The Senator outlined the focus of the meeting to be, each Federations:

1. Roadmap

2. Medal Projection

3 Challenges and the way gorward towards podium performances

The Minister who described the meeting as vital and a key to success, stressed that coming after the retreat with different Sports Federations in December last year, his expectation was that this technical meeting affords the ministry and the various stakeholders within the nation’s sports ecosystem the opportunity to change the narrative and chronicle of the sports sector and consolidate on the gains achieved at the retreat.

He expressed the confidence and assurance that the gathering will be inclusive, participatory and productive.

He went on to add that the purpose of the meeting is for the country’s sports grow and for is performances to thrill the Globe.

Senator Enoh re-emphasized his commitment and determination to take the nation’s sports to greater heights and adding that the sky is our limit.

The Sports Minister called out to major stakeholders and sports loving men and women to stand by the Ministry for greater success.

Building on this commitment, Senator Enoh expressed his outmost readiness to explore all avenues including holding periodic meetings with stakeholders and encouraging processes that will lead to amendments of relevant laws to ensure that sports receives the desired injection that it needs for better performance.

He said, “looking at where we are coming from, there is no reason why we should not hold periodic meetings between the Ministry and the various sports federations. On our part, the Ministry is fully committed to ensure that these meetings take place on a periodic basis because we have a shared responsibility with the sports federations”.

The Minister identified funding as the greatest challenge facing sports in the country for the past 30 years, further stressing that he would do everything within his power to surmount the problem.

He also stated that his engagement with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the issue of adequate funding of sports emboldened his resolve, commitment and faith in changing this problems for the better.

The Minister commended the Ministerial Podium Performance Advisory Team led by Professor Ken Anugweje and the Presidents of the various Sports Federations for the work they are doing in the various federations.

President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) Engineer Toke Aka, who has kept the game of words in the spotlight was also present at the gathering in spotless black suit, ash polo with a sparkling footwear and his iconic hat to cap it all.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar, said that the meeting was convened by the minister to enable the various stakeholders to brainstorm and evolve strategies for the nation to achieve success at the African, Olympic/Paralympic Games and other sports competitions.

The technical meeting which took place at the media center of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium was well attended by the various presidents of national sports federations, their general secretaries and the evaluation team.