Sports Ministry Set Up Committee To Decide Edo 2020 Date

By Ibrahim Taiwo , The Nigerian Voice Sports

In a bid to make sure that the Covid19 crisis would not place an embergo on this year's National Sports Festival, the federal government on Monday has set up 11-man committee to decide the new date for the postponed Sports Festival to be hosted by Edo State.

After much deliberations by the National Sports Council at a meeting held in Abuja on Monday, the general consensus is that the Festival should be held this year.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development while speaking during the virtual meeting with other contributors said although the Covid-19 pandemic was a source of concern but the sports Festival can go ahead if certain measures are put in place.

His words "After months of uncertainty, we need to chart a new course for our sports just like is been done globally. Our final decision will be based on consultations with the Ministry of Health and the National Task Force on Covid-19."

The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Comrade Philip Shuaibu said, "We are ready to host the Festival, but other states may not be ready. The issue of health is something that we all take seriously. Isolation centers have been further expanded to bigger capacity. We have set up many testing centers that would screen athletes before and after games."

Also, a representative of the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Mr. Paul Bassey advised that 'A health committee should be set up to work with the NCDC and the Ministry of Health to determine the possibility of the Festival taking place.'

The committee is made up of members of the COVID-19 Task Force, officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Commissioners of Sports from the six geo-political zones and representatives of the sports ministry.

However, after the meeting, there was no certainty on when the Festival will hold, while some members said it should hold before the Edo State election, others said it should be held after the election.