WITHDRAW CASES IN COURTS, SPORTS MINISTER URGES STAKEHOLDERS

•Adedoja
The new Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Professor Taoheed Adedoja, has promised drastic changes in programmes implementation this year as he urged stakeholders to withdraw all cases in courts.

Professor Adeloja gave the hint while on a familiarization tour of facilities and structures at the Abuja National Stadium on Wednesday. He disclosed that a revolution in the sports industry had become imperative, owing to major consideration given to it by the Presidency.

'The year 2011 will usher in a new down in Nigerian sports and that is why President Goodluck Jonathan is not leaving any stone unturned in making sure that sports is revolutionized. He disclosed that his first priority would be to ensure all court cases dogging Nigerian sports are withdrawn to allow development.

'I am aware of all the problems in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), especially the court cases because I have been briefed by the Director General, Dr. Patrick Ekeji. But we have to find a way round them. All stakeholders must obey the rules. 'FIFA has its rules and for us to belong to it ,we also must obey them. So, going to ordinary court of law for redress does not arise. We must try by all possible means to settle all the cases by next week', he said.

Professor Adedoja also revealed that lack of programmes implementation in the ministry had denied the country much in the international sports circuit, adding that lack of professionalism in the ministry has contributed to the failure. 'A blue print for programmes implementation will be out in four months and that is to say that we are not here for game as usual. Professionals should be allowed to manage the affairs of the ministry. When I resumed, I noticed that only nine per cent of the staff were professionals and this has to stop henceforth', he maintained.

On upgrading and maintenance of the stadium facilities , the minister affirmed that the private-public partnership programme would be giving a priority, while the athletes' welfare development would be given a top priority. 'I am in love with the PPP programme. Facilities development will be pursued vigorously to bring sports back to its original form in Nigeria. We should go back to school sports, and with such we would be able to curb the menace of age cheat in all our national teams'.