The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on participants in the country to ensure they compete fairly in the spirit of Unity of the nation.

He gave the charge today when he declared open the 7th edition of the National Youth Games holding in Asaba, the Delta State Capital.

A statement byDirector of Press and Public Relations Mohammed Manga quoted the President to have stated that the aim of the games which was conceived in 2013 was to reposition sports at the grassroots level and to facilitate the discovery of budding talents in the country.

Represented by the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, the President explained further that National Youth Games serves as an effective platform for talent identification and development.
He said provides a level playing ground for young athletes to achieve excellence in sports and not necessarily to compete for the purpose of winning medals alone.

He explained that the Games was designed not only to enhance and elevate sports globally and regionally, but also to establish a standard for athletes’ succession from one generation to another and enable for athletes participation in their community development as well as reinvigorate national unity and collaboration amongst them.

President Tinubu indicated that his administration is committed to the development of sports in the country and that was why he specifically created the Ministry of Sports Development and assigned a colossus administrator, Senator John Owan Enoh to drive its affairs, in line with the policy thrust of government.

The aim he added, is to ensure that sports move from mere recreation to job creation, thereby providing opportunities for poverty reduction amongst our youth, both male and female through government’s agenda of inclusiveness thus, improving on the security of our dear nation.

The President who congratulated Delta State Government for hosting the games urged officials and athletes to compete with the spirit of fairness and togetherness, while putting the interest of the nation ahead

He wished the athletes a fruitful competition.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Governor of Delta State Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori stated that since inception, the National Youth Games has proven to be a cost effective and reliable tool to promote national unity, advance development and peace at both national and sub-national levels.

He observed that if this is effectively harnessed, sports has the power to positively impact on the economic and social wellbeing of any society.

Sports, he noted, plays a great role in the realization of development and peace, in its promotion of tolerance and respect, and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities, not to mention its health, education and social inclusiveness objectives.

The Governor noted further that the belief of the Deltans on these ideals was unshakeable and that is why he.said,the Government of Delta State has continued to make its resources available to host national and international sporting competitions

In 2018, he added, the state hosted the African Senior Athletics Championship, and in November 2022, the 21st National Sports Festival.

Gov. Oborevwori reiterated that the Stephen Keshi Stadium has become a venue of choice for hosting national football championships, as Delta is becoming the beehive of sports in Nigeria.

He assured all participants of a peaceful and exciting games as security personnel, protocol officers, traffic management teams, and volunteers are on ground to ensure a peaceful, safe and secure environment for free and fair competition.

In its bid to ensure that the huge sporting potentials are tapped for socio-economic growth and development of the nation, the Federal Government has expressed its desire to collaborate with Spain and other countries of the world in the field of sports.

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh spoke in Abuja when he received the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Juan Ignacio Sell

Director of Press and Public Relations Mohammed Manga quote him to have stated that Spain was undoubtedly a renowned country in the field of sports, especially its Football League, the Spanish La Liga, a feat which the present administration is interested in replicating in the country.

Sports diplomacy, Enoh added, has become a very potent weapon in global diplomacy, and the President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, have recognised Nigeria’s huge sporting potentials.
According to him, that explains why he created the Ministry of Sports Development with a mandate to work assiduously towards ensuring that the potentials are harvested and adequately deployed.

This he said is not only to enable the country join the comity of sporting nations of the world but also provide for job creation, poverty alleviation, security and inclusiveness through women participation in sports

“The potentials of sports in Nigeria is huge, the present administration intends to turn this potential to achievements, to go beyond the world of potentials and also make Nigeria become a renowned country in the field of sports”, he said

The Minister who was earlier presented with a copy of an MoU that was signed by the previous administration, assured the Spanish Ambassador of Federal Government’s determination to collabobate with other nations of the world, especially in the area of sports development.

He explained that the resolutions contained in the MoU will be looked at so as to identify areas of mutual benefit to both nations

Speaking earlier, the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency,Juan Ignacio Sell indicated that he was in the Ministry to congratulate the Minister on his appointment and to further seek for collaboration with Nigeria in the field of sports.

According to him, Nigeria is a country that has high potentials in sports that can be harnessed and if adequately tapped, the country will join the commity of sporting nations

He expressed the willingness of his country to collaborate with Nigeria, not only to harness its sporting potentials but also to turn them into achievements for the benefit of both countries

The minister of sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has called on Sports Federations in the country to be result oriented hunting for talents at the grassroots while helping current elite competitors strive to raise the nation’s flag high through podium fniishes in all competitions.
Director Press and Public Relations Mohammed Manga in a statement quoted the minister to have made the call on Wednesday in his office at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja when he engaged the Presidents and Secretaries of National Sports Federations in an interactive session.

Enoh stated that the meeting was aimed at providing him with the opportunity to holistically assess the state of affairs of all Federations with a view to systematically addressing them for the development of the sector.

He said, the Ministry under his watch, will continue to play its statutory, supervisory and advisory roles on all sports Federations in the country in order to ensure proper governance as well as oversight on the plans each Federation executes.

The Minister charged them to show more commitment, passion and be focused in their activities so as to ensure success in their fields of sporting endeavours in line with the policy thrust of the present administration

While urging them to place the interest of the country above their personal interests, Senator Owan Enoh assured that government will focus on turning the tide to place less emphasis on positions and offices but instead on athletes’ welfare, infrastructure upgrade and development of the sector, among others.

The Minister who described the Federations as critical stakehokders in the industry, called on them to join hands with the federal government to ensure the development of the sector

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar stated that the meeting was conveyed to provide an opportunity to interact and brainstorm on issues that bother on efficiency and effectiveness of the Federations with a view to finding solutions administratively for them.

He assured that the Ministry will continue to create an enabling environment for the implementation of the initiatives, policies, programmes and projects of government for the empowerment of the teeming Nigerian youth through sports, thereby alleviating poverty, improving security and also contributing to the economic growth and development of the nation.