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Federal Government inaugurates MOC for National Sports Festival

By Guardian Nigeria
06 April 2022   |   2:20 am
The Federal Government, yesterday, inaugurated the Main Organising Committee (MOC) for a successful hosting of the 21st National Sports Festival, scheduled to hold in November, 2022 in Asaba, Delta State.

[FILES] Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Akin Dare

The Federal Government, yesterday, inaugurated the Main Organising Committee (MOC) for a successful hosting of the 21st National Sports Festival, scheduled to hold in November, 2022 in Asaba, Delta State.

Youth and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare, who unveiled the committee in his office in Abuja, said the inauguration was a fallout of the extra-ordinary National Council of Sports meeting held in Asaba last year and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between his ministry and the Delta State government, which signified the commencement of hosting the Sports Festival.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ismail Abubakar, the minister acknowledged that the organisation of the National Sports Festival is an enormous task that requires commitment and dedication, taking into account that the MOC has barely seven months to put everything in place for the successful hosting of the games.

Dare expressed optimism that with the zeal and determination of Delta State government, as well as the calibre of people, who constitute the MOC, the task of organising the festival will not be insurmountable.

He expressed his dismay over the manner, in which the National Sports Festival is fully dependent on the Federal and state governments for funds, explaining that this year’s festival alone is expected to host not less than 15, 000 athletes and team officials; outside the technical officials, sports federation personnel and service providers.

The trend, he said, is unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue.

“Let me use this medium to appeal to private and corporate organisations to support the development of sports in Nigeria and leverage on it to promote their goods and services,” Dare said. He also called on the MOC to package the Festival to make it attractive to sponsors.

The Minister added that with the MOC, which comprises very experienced and committed Nigerians, such as Alhaji Ismail Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, as Chairman and Chief Patrick Ogoegbunam Ukah, the Secretary to Delta State Government as Vice Chairman, the 21st National Sports Festival will be a thing to reckon with.

Other members of the MOC are Olumide Bamiduro, Akawo Amaechi, Dr. Simon Ebhojiaye, Alhaji Abba Yola, Mr. Patrick Okeke, Mr. Tunji Okedairo, Mr. Olufehinti Olusegun Joshua, Alhaji Mohammed Manga, Prof. Olawale Moronkola, Engr. Habu Gumel, Brig. Gen. Emico Eruwa, Maizare Ahmed, Sherif Olawuyi, Mr. Peter Nelson (Secretary) and Mrs. Meg. Unah (Assistant Secretary).

Responding, the MOC Chairman and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, represented by the Chief of Staff to the Minister, Alhaji Abba Yola, thanked Dare and President Muhammadu Buhari, in particular, for the privilege and opportunity granted them to serve the country in this capacity. He assured that the Committee would bring in their wealth of experience towards the successful hosting of the games.

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