The federal government has inaugurated the Main Organising Committee (MOC) for a successful hosting of the 22nd National Sports Festival, scheduled to hold next year in Ogun State.
Sports development minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, who unveiled the committee at the media center of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, charged members of the committee to work hard to deliver a seamless and successful games next year, saying delivering a successful games requires hard-work.
However, according to him, with the commitment of Ogun State government and the caliber of members in the committee, he is optimistic that the committee would surmount all the challenges to deliver a successful games.He 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 insisted that after 22 years, the National Sports Festival has become a brand capable of attracting corporate sponsorship and therefore urged the committee to package the Games to attract private sector sponsorship. He described sports as a multi-billion business, stating that if the private sector-driven sports industry could work in other climes, there is no reason it should not work in Nigeria.
Responding on behalf of the committee, the chairman and permanent secretary, Sports Ministry, Ismaila Abubakar, informed the minister that members of the committee were fully aware that the responsibility of organizing successful games rested 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, Ministry 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.