The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Sports Festival

  • National Sports Festival: Cross River solicits FG’s support

    National Sports Festival: Cross River solicits FG’s support

    Cross River Government on Sunday appealed to the Federal Government to assist it funds to enable it to host the National Sports Festival.

    A statement by Nneka Ikem-Anibeze, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Youths and Sports, said the Deputy Governor of the state, Prof Ivara Esu, made the plea when he visited the Minister, Solomon Dalung, in Abuja.

    It quoted Esu as acknowledging that the hosting right for the festival was given to the state about five years ago but that for some exigencies, the games had not held.

    He said that the previous administration in the state constituted up a team of consultants to market the festival to raise funds.

    He said that much money had been sunk into the renovation and building of new infrastructure as part of preparations for the festival, adding that some of the projects had been completed.

    “We have been preparing for this National Sports Festival since 2012.

    “The government before us had set up a team of consultants to raise funds for the games. I am sure that when they hear about the festival coming alive, they will come back for re-engagement.

    “So much money has already been sunk into building of infrastructure and facilities for the games. Some of the facilities are 100 per cent completed. Others are between 65 to 85 per cent ready.

    “We have considered various ways in which we can cut cost. I also know that the kind of money we are looking for is not in the budget of 2017.

    “We are not passing the entire budget for the festival to the Federal Government. We need help of 60 per cent of the cost of the facilities, which we have presented to the ministry.

    “I know that President Muhammadu Buhari and the minister have contacts that we can leverage on to raise funds,” he said.

    Esu stated that the state government had made efforts to raise funds “but we have assessed that at no time will we be able to raise more than 40 per cent of the funds needed.

    “Certainly, we can’t get money even from our federal allocation.

    “We are number 35 out of the 36 states; so, if we can’t get the remaining funds, we will not be able to host this games”.

    In his response, Dalung promised to discuss the issue with the president and thanked the deputy governor for the visit, saying it demonstrated the state government’s commitment to “rescue” the festival, which had been in limbo.

    “The National Sports Festival has been on the front burner and the concern of many Nigerians. At every given opportunity, there is a question about the fate of the festival.

    “That confirms how passionate the people are about the games. It is sad that for a long time we have not been able to host the games.

    “I quite agree with the challenges, especially economic challenges confronting the nation but let us not lose touch of the fact that sports is our national heritage and passion and a service-oriented item.

    “Therefore, we must do our best to mobilize funds and give our people those things they yearn for,” he said.

    Dalung recalled that the National Youth Games was held in Ilorin after a long time.

    “We did that not because we had sufficient budgetary allocation. We had only N9 million allocated for the games, but we had to think outside the box and engaged the private sector and sponsors to raise enough funds for the games.

    “So, I think Cross River state needs to put up a structure of consultants to market the games and I assure you that it will pay off.

    “It is not a matter of setting up committees and getting the right people who will mobilize the right investment.

    “If you insist on using a committee made up of just people from the state’s sporting architecture, you will achieve nothing.

    “The state government may not have money but there are many Nigerians who are ready to give the state funds needed to host the festival if they are sure that the investment will be deployed judiciously.

    “I know of states who are hosting international competitions. So I know people will also want to invest in national competitions which have direct benefits on Nigerian youths,” he said.

    The Minister also promised to assist the state to seek the intervention needed to host the games.

  • 19th National Sports Festival: Stakeholders propose November 8 date in Calabar

    Participants at the ongoing National Council on Sports in Calabar have resolved that the 19th National Sports Festival be held in Calabar from November 8 to 21.

    They also resolved that the second edition of the National Youth Games be hosted by the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) in Kwara State with 22 sports on the bill.

    They made the proposal on Saturday after deliberating on separate memorandum presented by the Cross River Government and the Grassroots Sports Development Directorate of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

    Dr Ademola Are, Director Grassroots Sports, had told the technical session of the council held at Tinapa Resort that Unilorin had proposed a date for the games

    He also urged states to develop grassroots sports by organising events at least in one sport annually, adding that the games were conceived as an event to balance sports, culture and education.

    He said the games’ objectives included building a robust grassroots talent pool as well as enhancing and elevating sports globally and regionally. He told the session that the national youth games also had the objective of establishing a standard programme for athletes’ succession from one generation to another.

    Mr Asu Okang, the Cross River Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, said that no less than eight venues had been slated for the “Paradise Games’’.

  • Ahead of National Sports Festival: RIVERS, DELTA, OTHERS SWOOP ON BAYELSA ATHLETES

    Ahead of National Sports Festival: RIVERS, DELTA, OTHERS SWOOP ON BAYELSA ATHLETES

    There are strong indications that about 85 per cent of Bayelsa State’s active athletes are on the verge of dumping the  Sports Council to other states in the Niger Delta region following years of neglect.

    The athletes are under intense pressure with to port to mouth-watering Rivers , Delta, Lagos and Oyo states.

    Chairman of Bayelsa State Sports Council Coaches Association, Augustine Odumo raised the alarm, saying, the trend where athletes are lost to other states is a major reason Bayelsa State has been lagging behind at national sports festivals. The state has struggled to maintain or slump from the medals table.

    “We have also found ourselves wanting in the traditional sport where there has been comparative advantage,” Odumo said.

    “The coaches association said the only option to arresting the embarrassing situation is to set up a ‘Technical Committee’ to ascertain the 484 athletes and place them accordingly in order of merit in the contract employment of the council.

    “They are also recommending the review of the staff strength of the sports council and replace those that have retired or disengaged from service with most of the performing athletes.

    The coaches fear that if the 484 athletes are snatched, the sports council would be affected drastically . They noted that the drafting of the Supervising Commissioner for Sports Development,  Collins Cocodia to sanitise the sports industry was timely.

  • TRIATHLON TARGETS NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL, MORE STATES

    TRIATHLON TARGETS NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL, MORE STATES

    The Nigeria Triathlon Union (NTU) has finalised plans to take the sport to more states in a bid to participate in the next National Sports Festival (NSF) slated for March in Calabar, Cross River State.

    The president of the body, Dr. Lanre Glover told SportingLife that it was high time triathlon was taken to other parts of the country apart from Lagos, which has become a centre for the sport. He noted that the move would make triathlon more popular in the country and help build a pool of athletes who can do the country proud at international competitions.

    Glover stated that the sports would get the necessary attention if it gets the nod of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to take part in the NSF. “What we are doing at the NTU is to make the sports popular. Already we have staged duathlon as well as aquathlon. So, staging the event at the NSF will greatly enhance the popularity of the sport.”

    According to the NTU boss, the body will also intensify its partnership with schools in Lagos State to ensure that the young are taught the rudiments of the sports. He called on school heads to embrace the sports, which he described as one of the best ways to develop a complete student.

    He also said that participating at the All Africa Games in Maputo in 2011 and the African Championship have shown that the sport has the potential to grow if given the necessary backing by government, corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals. He said: “The greatest problem facing sports in the country is lack of sponsorship. Apart from football and a few other sports that enjoy some corporate backing, the situation is bad for a majority of the sports and I will use this opportunity to call on sponsors to support triathlon.”

    Glover revealed that the NTU was already talking to sponsors and would be happy if it can secure a sponsor for a yearly event.

  • 2014 National Sports Festival: Athletes appeal to NSC on inclusion of deaf sport

    2014 National Sports Festival: Athletes appeal to NSC on inclusion of deaf sport

    Some deaf athletes in Lagos on Thursday appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) to rescind its decision not to include deaf sports in the 2014 National Sports Festival (NSF).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 19th edition of the biennial festival, tagged: “Paradise Games” is to hold from Nov. 27 to Dec. 7 in Calabar, Cross River State.

    An Olympian, Nurudeen Badmus, said it was heart-breaking that deaf athletes had been excluded from the Paradise Games after putting much effort preparing.

    Badmus noted that he won three Gold, one Silver and two Bronze medals for Rivers at Eko 2012 and had been working towards performing better to clinch more medals in 2014.

    “I was at the London 2012 Olympics for 100m but unfortunately, I lost out in the semi finals. I’m hoping that the festival would be an avenue for me to evaluate myself. Excluding us from the festival makes us feel unwanted and not appreciated for what we’re doing and that is not encouraging. I’m a family man and it’s the reward I get at participating in competitions I use to cater for my family,’’ he said.

    Another deaf athlete, Uchenna Eze, said that the NSC’s decision could scare away talented aspiring deaf athletes.

    Eze said that deaf athletes should be allowed to enjoy the same treatment as their able-bodied counterparts.

    “They should stop giving preference to our able-bodied counterparts because it does not make us feel good. We practically do the same thing they do and should enjoy the same benefits at international competitions. We mostly perform better than they do,’’ he added.

    NAN recalls that deaf athletes featured at the 18th NSF, tagged: “Eko 2012” in Lagos.

    A Team Lagos gold medalist, Nofisat Alaba, who was at the 2012 festival, said the NSC should consider deaf athletes challenges and make them relevant.

    Alaba said that the festival was the only national competition that deaf athletes often had opportunity to compete in.

    “If we do not participate I don’t know when we would have another opportunity as deaf athletes to participate at any national competition. We need to put in practice what we have been learning after the last NSF in 2012 because it is when we compete that we can get better,’’ Alaba said.

  • Bayelsa hopes to host National Sports Festival soon — Director

    Bayelsa hopes to host National Sports Festival soon — Director

    The Bayelsa Government on Thursday expressed confidence that the state would one day host the National Sports Festival (NSF) considering the facilities it was putting in place.

    The Director of Sports, Isaac Mark-Tubo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa that the government was determined to provide facilities in all its stadia.

    Mark-Tubo said the State Sports Council had established offices in about five local governments of the state to enhance sports development. He added that the council had also ensured that it reached out to the various local government councils.

    He said the ongoing construction work by the government at the Asuama Community Sports Academy was a step in the right direction.

    “The swimming pool is still under construction and the same goes for facilities for other sports; all these are geared toward the day we can host the NSF or any national event in Bayelsa. I know equipment is one of the criteria for hosting but we have not got them now. I believe that in no distant time we will be in a position to host such major events,” Mark-Tubo said.

    On the state’s performance in national competitions, the director said it had never lagged behind.

    “We have been doing well in national and international events. Our athletes won the best female wrestler in the 2013 Commonwealth Wrestling Competition. Beyelsa did well in the 5th Chief of Naval Staff Swimming competition in Oghara, Delta in 2013. We clinched the second position, while Delta took first; we won a total of 7 gold and 3 bronze medals,” he said.

    Mark-Turbo said that inadequate funding was the bane of sports development, adding that the state’s sports officials had been progressing with the available finance.