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#100DaysinOffice: Towards Addressing Doping Violations in Nigerian Sports: The “Enoh-mous Effect”
In the last few years, Nigerian athletes have been in the eye of the storm due to violation of doping rules. Doping in itself refers to the use of banned substances to enhance performance. As a means to curtail doping, the Integrity units of sports bodies carry out random and planned doping tests on athletes, as they deem fit.
If banned substances are found in the samples of athletes, then their integrity is called into question, and doping investigations are made. For elite athletes, the rules are even more stringent. Missing three doping tests (planned or not) in the span of 12 months can land them in big trouble.
A number of Nigerian athletes have had to face the integrity Unit of World Athletics over doping issues, and this rising number is tarnishing the profile of the country internationally. Blessing Okagbare, Divine Oduduru, and recently Grace Nwokocha. While these unwanted records stall the progress of athletes as individuals, there are many reasons why it should be treated as a national issue.
The Nigerian Anti-Doping Committee, led by Prof. Kenneth Anugweje had its board ratified by former president, Muhammadu Buhari just over a year ago. While it has continued to put efforts towards eradicating doping violations in Nigeria, the enormity of the work is beyond just what a committee can fix. There is a need for a bigger body, backed by Federal legislation to push this fight institutionally. This part of Nigeria’s anti-doping regulations has always annoyingly moved at a snail-pace speed.
100 Days of Impact
In a bold commitment to bolster the fight against doping in sports, the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh declared an unwavering commitment to expedite the submission of the National Anti-Doping Commission Establishment Bill to the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly for ratification in the coming weeks. Now that is what the country yearned for. The political will to get things moving.
“Our hope is that in the next couple of weeks, we will be able to get the bill ready,” the Minister said. “We will go through the necessary processes, leading up to introducing it to the National Assembly, as an Executive Bill. We will get it across to the Federal Ministry of Justice, to the Federal Executive Committee (FEC), and all the approvals that will lead to that.
Enoh had emphasized the paramount importance of legislation to the National Anti-Doping Committee, identifying it as a crucial step towards overcoming the challenges it faces in achieving its objectives. Nigeria has always needed a Sports Minister that is determined to elevate the fight against doping in sports and ensure that the sporting environment in Nigeria remains fair and clean, with zero tolerance for doping violations.
Moreso, one that places a major focus on education as a preventive strategy against doping, as some cases are as a result of ignorance. Senator Enoh has thus far shown readiness to roll up his sleeves and get down to work. It is not only commendable, but worth being excited about.
The most exciting part was Enoh’s acknowledgement of why more expertise was needed in this area. The Minister acknowledged the need to strengthen the current system while working on the Commission establishment bill. He had elaborated that strengthening the Committee will be done by expanding its professional and technical expertise, with a strong focus on educating athletes on the importance of fair and clean competition.
With all of the country’s troubles with doping, there seem to be good times on the offing. The air of optimism that is flying around the sports sector comes with the leadership vibrance of John Enoh. If the first 100 days are anything to go by, then the sports ministry is set for a gigantic turn around in the next few years of this administration.
Featured
How Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso Repositioning the Raw Materials Sector For Economic Diversification
By Joel Ajayi
As we embark on a journey, we always pray for an able, experienced, and courageous driver, pilot, or sailor depending on the means of transportation.
This is because the captain will have enough experience and boldness to navigate out of turbulence and to bring all the passengers and crew to the intended destination.
Interestingly, these fine qualities of ability, experience, boldness, and many more, abound in the man, Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, who we all are pleased was appointed the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, the Director General/CEO by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a few months ago.
This is because he has brought his knowledge, ability, experience, and doggedness to bear in carrying out his assignment in charge of the Council.
The RMRDC, operating under the Federal
The Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, is pivotal in driving Nigeria’s industrial growth by optimizing local raw materials exploitation, development, and utilization. RMRDC, ab initio, was conceived as a child of necessity when Nigeria was reeling from the throes of global recession and plummeting crude oil prices.
Without an iota of doubt, today, the council is experiencing a transformation with massive innovation in raw material exploitation, development, and utilization, supporting business and industrial growth, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic prosperity.
Speaking this during a press briefing on Tuesday, in Abuja to commemorate his 100 days in office said the council is laying a solid foundation through numerous innovations that will further enhance growth in the country.
According to him, in the past 100 days, my strategic pursuits have been to lay solid foundations for enduring success in these goals.
“Upon assuming this position, I set five crucial deliverables which include, refocusing the Council as a premier research institution; Strengthening the Council’s productivity and operational efficiency; Significantly improving the staff welfare to be the best in the class of similar organizations;
“Others include, Boosting the Council’s visibility and instituting remarkable culture change that encourages ownership and productivity as well as Strengthening and deepening the Council’s place in the international arena.”
While speaking on his Achievements so far, the DG revealed: “My first task, therefore, was to implement a strategic goal-setting for the Council’s staff to define and set out clear objectives and targets to be achieved by the Council within a specified period towards refocusing on this historical mandate. We unleashed five significant initiatives in that regard.
“The nationwide raw material data collection exercise that focused on technical and investment information. erships to drive our mission forward.
“The restructuring and renaming of the former Technology Innovation Complex (TIC) at the Obasanjo Space Center at Airport Road, Abuja, to a Research and Demonstration Plants Complex (RDPC). This complex will be Africa’s first center of excellence in raw material research, featuring state-of-the-art laboratories, technology development workshops, and proof of concept demonstrations.
“We have reactivated the Council’s Journal and repositioned it internationally. The repositioned Journal of Raw Material Research [JORMAR] will host RMRDC’s researchers’ publications, which are crucial in promoting awareness, facilitating knowledge sharing, and informing stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s raw materials sector.
“The collaboration with universities and academies will strengthen our capacity for conducting market-guided research, ensuring sustained workforce training while deepening our orientation in science.
The council has reformulated a new template for all our research proposals to ensure and sustain a clear departure from the old culture of blue-sky and deliberately endless research.
Speaking further, Prof Nwanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso stated that Staff welfare remains a top priority as an issue of unpaid salaries is settled as well as set up a comprehensive welfare program.
“Similarly, we established the RMRDC Training School to sustainably build our staff and stakeholders’ capacity to further the staff welfare improvement goal.
“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance
“To further strengthen our visibility and communication strategies, we are upgrading our media infrastructure, which includes the launch of the RMRDC online media platform, The RMRDC TV Online.
“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance
“Additionally, we are working hard to effectively enhance the intellectual property and patent portfolio of RMRDC from its current 40 to approximately 200 new patents within the next 24 months. This proactive approach secures valuable IP assets and positions the Council as a leader in innovation within the raw materials sector, contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic growth.
“As well as launching an e-registration and certification portal to enhance transparency in the raw materials sector,” DG revealed.
He however reaffirmed his commitment to reshape the future of research, technology, and innovation, driving Nigeria towards an industrially vibrant and technologically resilient economy.
“As I mark 100 days in office, I boldly say that the Council is on the verge of rewriting its history.
“I believe that in no distant future, RMRDC will play a leading role in enhancing raw materials’ development to boost raw materials’ industrial trial processing and attain sustainable industrial growth in Nigeria.
DG, however, applauded the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, for his unwavering support and mentorship, saying the Minister’s leadership has been instrumental in the progress made so far.
In his opening remarks, the Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Mr Chucks Ngaha commended the hard-working DG who has weathered the storm further to put the Council on the ladder of more prosperity.
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