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Buhari To Declare Open 2020 NSF In Edo

Published

6 years ago

March 16, 2020

…Government will not stop NSF-Health Minister

Joel Ajayi

The 2020 edition of National Sports Festival NSF slated for 22nd March to 1st April in Edo State Capital South-South Nigeria would be declared open by the President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amongst other dignitaries include, National Assembly, State Governors, Commissioners of Sports, State Directors of Sports, President NOC, Sports Veterans are all lovers of sports.

To this end, the Federal Government has restated its affirmative actions towards containment and preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19; and resolved to host the Sports Festival tagged ‘ EDO 2020’ slated for 22nd March – 1st April 2020.

Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, made this declaration during a Press Briefing in Abuja. Reinforcing the position of the Federal Government towards the hosting of the Unity Games in the present circumstance, the Minister categorically said ”As far as the Sports Festival is concerned, we shall recommend to the Organizers to screen everybody both participating and all the spectators, because at the moment we don’t see very strong threat internally.

Expatiating on this medical advice, Dr. Ehanire stated that ” we are not recommending a ban on everything unless the situation changes. Nevertheless, the precaution of making sure that everyone is screened is our focus. Those who are looking in any way suspicious will be disallowed entry straight away so that they don’t pose any kind of risk to others until their symptoms are clear. If the Organizers do that, I think there is no good reason not to hold the festival.

Continuing, the Minister of Health argued persuasively and stated that ” Every country takes measures that are consistent with its own situation. There are countries where the virus is spreading widely and they have been forced to cancel various activities whether it is business, trade fair, etc. We are not in that category, and we thank God.

As it is now, we have seen a couple of cases which we have been able to contain. If you don’t have very pressing reasons, you don’t have to start banning everything”

Recall that most recently, Dr. Osagie Ehanire declared during his widely transmitted update on television that the two suspected index cases have tested negative.

Corroborating the above submissions by the Health Minister on preventive and proactive measures, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare admonished all athletes and participating officials to abide with his advisory on the usage of Hand Sanitizers throughout the duration of the Sports Festival, as part of a wider safety steps/measures by the Main Organizing Committee on ”Edo 2020”; towards ensuring a secure, virus-free and successful games.

Furthermore, it is pertinent to state that Mr. Dare during his three states visit Asaba in Delta State en route Awka in Anambra, and finally to Benin City, Edo State; he met with the Local Organizing Committee ( LOC) to review the medical preparations for Edo 2020 Games, especially to review plans for the containment of any suspected case and possible spread of the virus. The Deputy Governor of Edo state was around to assist the Ministry as partners in a mission of actualizing national unity, stability and economic prosperity for our youths through the instrumentality of sports.

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Featured

CELEBRATING A CENTURY-OLD CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR TRAJECTORY IN NIGERIA

Published

3 weeks ago

December 1, 2025

The Gleamer

This week, millions of Nigerians and others across the globe will join the Ministry of Aviation and Space Development under the irrepressible leadership of the Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo(SAN),and all the notable Aviation sector stakeholders in and outside the country,in celebrating a century of Nigeria’s civil aviation history.

There is no doubt that under the present leadership of the Honourable Minister and within the short spell of time in his stewardship,he has consciously and intentionally embarked on a “silent revolution” for the industry with very veritable and laudable landmarks that have consistently grown the industry.

Some of these spirited efforts for instance have consequently led to trust restoration amongst international lessors, financier,any global partners.Of note also is assidiously working for the full domestication and implementation of the “Cape Town Convention Agreement” ,which gives Airlines access to modern fleets of competitive rates as well as enforcement of IDERA(Irrevocable Deregulation and Export Request Authorization).

Having well applauded these vital contemporary initiatives,it will also be germane to cast our minds in retrospect by taking a peep into our history over several decades to recognise some of the notable forebears in the industry whose impressionabl efforts cannot be overlooked,as they took the impetuous initiatives of breaking the ice at the nascent stage.
It will aptly corroborate the truism which says that… ” a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”.

The above is vividly captured from a tribute by the First Republic Minister of Aviation Chief Mbazulike Amaechi at the funeral of late Igwe of Oba,HRH Peter Ezenwa(MFR) in 2018.
It states inter alia…”One significant thing I will say many people didn’t know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as “STANDARD AIRLINE”.It was founded in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa from Oba,and had on board,John Nwankwu from Abagana,Edward Ebo from Ezinifitte,(all from Anambra state),John Anyaehie from Nkwerre in Imo state,and lastly my very self Mbazulike Amaechi.
The five of us later acquired two brand new aircrafts,and had four pilots,namely;Unachievable,John Emma Ngwu and Felix Offor,who was to be the General Manager of the airline.
But just about the time for the take-off the crisis of the military takeover erupted in the North as the planes were on their way for delivery to us.In fact the bank handling the transaction was to allow the planes to be flown from the USA,but the news of the war broke out in 1967,the insurance company cabled for the cancellation of the deal as they will not be able to cover the risk cost of aircrafts being flown into war zone.
So,we asked the manufacturers to take the two aircrafts back to their country and hold on for six months with the hope of that the war will end within the requested time frame,but the war didn’t end as thought.We consequently asked for refund and they deducted some money and refunded the balance which was deposited at the London branch of African Continental Bank(ACB).

When the government took over the operations of ACB,we still hoped for the refund but unfortunately were disappointed that the Federal government took over the whole money and we lost everything.”

Further in line with our historical perspective,it will also be pertinent some of the later years reformists in the likes of Engr Onyereri and Harold Demuren who advertently sponsored some far reaching regulations that eventually steered the industry towards greater autonomy with the passage of the 2005 Civil Aviation Act,which I was also a prime participant of in my capacity as an Aviation sub chair in then House of Representatives.

As we mark this great century milestone,and with the clear evidential pathway set out by the current managers of the industry under the indomitable leadership of Honourable Minister, I do not see the sky posing any limitations as they say,but rather availing new vistas of limitless growth opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS.

Hon Chidi Nwogu
Former member House of Representatives & presently Governing Council member
,African Aviation and Aerospace University,Abuja.

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