Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, has handed Delta State a tall order to surpass the standard set by immediate past host of the National Sports festival, Edo State, when it hosts the 21st edition of the National Sports festival next year.
Speaking in Asaba yesterday, Dare, who also unveiled members of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC), urged the government of Delta State and members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) to stage a Games that Nigerians will be proud of.
He said; “The names I saw in the LOC set up by Delta State are familiar names. The task is upon you. Warri no dey carry last. We saw the standard at Edo 2020, Asaba 2022 must surpass that standard. I don’t have any doubt in my mind that the Delta State government will give us the best Games in 2022,” he stated.
The Sports Minister praised Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, particularly the steps he has taken in repositioning sports. “His adoption of 12 Nigerian athletes, the biggest in the Adopt-an-athlete initiative ahead of the Tokyo Olympics Games, played a huge role. I am happy one of the athletes, Ese Brume, got a medal. I am proud of what Okowa has done for sports.”
Dare also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for creating the environment for new and progressive ideas to thrive in the sports ecosystem, revealing that the NDP 2021-2024 allocated N88billion to sports development for the first time, with youth development also got an allocation of N60billion.
