Sports
Sports Minister Tasks Senior Ministry Officials on Development Plan for Discovered Talents
…Says it cannot be business as usual
Joel Ajayi
Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, on Tuesday, charged Heads of the Department of the Ministry to come up with strategic plans that will define the growth path of talents discovered at the recently concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.
Senator Enoh who chaired an interactive meeting with senior officials of the ministry alongside Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry stated that such a strategic plan should be able to keep talented athletes under the radar of the Ministry and also define a clear path for them to climb to the top of the various sports where they have excelled.
He said that it was important to sustain the interest of these talented athletes in their various sports since they could easily lose interest if no plan is put in place to harness their talents.
Beyond the just concluded National Youth Games, Senator Enoh stated that what the Ministry does with these discovered talents was more important than the emphasis on the medals table and states that achieved the highest medals haul.
The Minister sued for greater synergy amongst the different departments to achieve this objective. He stressed that it was important to show Nigerians the growth trajectory of these talented athletes before the next National Youth Games.
“If we are able to show what we have been able to do with these discovered talents before the next National Youths Games, it will inspire confidence and buy-in by Nigerians and relevant stakeholders,” the Minister said. “It should not be business as usual.”
He stressed that under his leadership, failure to take decisive action on this issue is not an option.
He warned that if the Ministry failed to come up with implementable plans on the way forward, sports-loving Nigerians would soon put them to the sword.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ismaila Abubakar said that the essence of the meeting was for the Ministry to evaluate their performance at the Games and come up with suggestions and ways the Ministry can improve in subsequent games. He called for an unfettered exchange of ideas among the senior officials of the Ministry present at the meeting.
The interactive session witnessed a frank exchange of ideas by various officials of the ministry. These inputs will form part of a strategic plan setting out a path to the top for the discovered talented athletes being hammered out by a team assembled by the Minister.
Sports
Nigeria Customs Service Embarks on Training Tour
Joel Ajayi
As part of preparations for the 2025 African Women’s Club Championship, the Nigeria Customs Service women’s volleyball team has embarked on a training tour in Benin Republic.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from April 1 to 14 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The team departed for Benin Republic on Wednesday.
The Sports Secretary of the Nigeria Customs Service, Samuel Onikeku, appreciated the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for approving the training tour.
He emphasised that the tour would allow the players and coaching crew to assess their level of preparedness for the upcoming championship.
Onikeku expressed confidence in the team’s potential to make a strong impression at the tournament, citing the support received from the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly through the First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON.
He said, “The volleyball team has traveled to Benin Republic for a 10-day training tour. The players have been in camp since February, and this tour will provide them with an opportunity to compete against teams outside the country.
“I want to appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for approving this training tour.
“During the training tour, Nigeria Customs Service will take on strong opponents from Benin Republic, Ghana and Togo.
“The support we received from Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON, has been tremendous, and the team is committed to making the country proud.”
He said the service is determined to better their position after finishing fourth place in 2021.
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