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Tokyo 2020: Ministry Strategizes for Athletes’ Success

Published

4 years ago

December 9, 2019

…targets 11 Sports

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has taken steps to further consolidate the chances of athletes and teams at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by prioritizing 11 sports and six para-sports for Nigeria’s qualifying pathway to the Games.

A Ministerial Advisory Committee on Tokyo 2020 Games (MACT), which set this priority, also recommended an early start to pre-games camping towards ensuring maximum success.

The Ministerial Advisory Committee on Tokyo 2020 Games, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Oulsola Adesola, proposed 120 days of camping as it agreed to fast track the process of securing the services of highly skilled technical personnel to complement local coaches.

Mr. Adesola revealed that “The recommendations of the inaugural meeting of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Tokyo 2020 Games (MACT 2020 held on Wednesday, December 9, 2019 was submitted and approved by the Honourable Minister of Youth & Sports Development for implementation. Some of the specific recommendations approved are:-

i) That the under listed 11 Sports for the Olympic and 5 Sports for the Paralympic have been prioritized for the qualifying pathway:

1) Athletics 7) Rowing 1. Para Athletics

2) Badminton 8) Table Tennis 2. Para Canoeing

3) Basketball 9) Taekwondo 3. Para Powerlifting

4) Boxing 10) Weightlifting 4. Para Rowing

5) Canoeing 11) Wrestling 5. Para Table Tennis

6) Gymnastics

ii) That the final list of qualified athletes and sports would be confirmed after the completion of the two year qualification tournaments cycle in June 2020;

iii) Acknowledged the qualification of the athletes listed below as at December 4, 2019:

OLYMPIC GAMES

a) Athletics:
Ese Brume (Women’s Long Jump) F
Amusan Tobi (Women’s 100m Hurdles) F
Blessing Okagbare (100m/200m) F
Divine Oduduru (100m) M
Raymond Okevwo (100m) M
Usheorise Itshekiri (100m) M
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Shot Put) M
Emmanuel Bamidele (400m) M
b) Basketball
Male Team (D’ Tigers) M
c) Canoeing
Bello Ayomide (Women’s Canoe Kayak) F
d) Rowing
Toko Esther (Women’s Single Sculls) F
e) Wrestling:
Adekuoroye Odunayo (57kg WW) F

PARALYMPIC GAMES

a)Powerlifting

Female Male

Omolayo Bose 1. Ibrahim Abdulaziz
Orji Precious 2. Dauda Ibrahim
Tijani Latifat 3. Kehinde Paul
Oluwafemiayo Folasade 4. Innocent Nnamdi
Okpala Pauline 5. Roland Ezuruike
Ibrahim Mujinat 6. Yakubu Adesokan
Obiji Lovelyn
Ejike Lucy

b) Para Rowing
Ijeoma Kingsley (Men’s Singles Sculls) M”

The Committee has meanwhile ruled that no Nigerian Athletes would feature in the Games with Wild Card qualification status.

This development comes as the ministry will this week launch its Adopt an Athlete Campaign, which will raise direct funds for each athlete or team for training, support for trials, coaching, medicals, insurance, and others.

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FG to Harness the Digital Economy to Empower Youth

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Honourable Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande has disclosed that the Federal Government is making efforts to harness the potentials of the digital economy in empowering the youth and creating sustainable jobs.

He made this disclosure in Abuja when he received the participants of the Senior Executive Course 46, 2024 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State who were on study tour to the Ministry.

Mr Olawande said over 50% of the population below the age of 30 have a significant demographic advantage in the digital age.

“Our youths are tech-savvy, innovative and eager to contribute to the country’s economic growth. However, they face numerous challenges including limited access to quality education, skills training and job opportunities.

The digital economy offers a unique opportunity for Nigeria to leapfrog traditional development challenges. With the rise of e-commerce, digital payments and remote work”. “Our youths can assess global markets, skills training and job opportunities like never before,” he added.

According to the Minister, challenges hindering the growth of the digital economy in Nigeria must be addressed.
He explained that to overcome the challenges, the Ministry has implemented initiatives such as digital skills training programs for youths, focusing on areas like software development, data analytics and digital marketing especially in the NYSC.

This, he disclosed is alongside partnering with Galaxy Back Bone to improve infrastructure, Internet connectivity and alternative electricity supply as well as funding opportunities such as grants, loans and venture capital for startups of small businesses with launching of the National Youth Investment Fund.

The Honourable Minister who hinted that the Ministry’ s goal is to create an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for youth stated: ” We recognise that sustainable job creation is critical to Nigeria ‘s economic growth and stability”

”I urge you all to join us in this journey to harness the potential of the digital economy for youth empowerment and sustainable job creation in Nigeria.”, he added.

Mr Olawande further said that the opportunities and challenges underscore the need for a collaborative effort from all stakeholders to harness the potential of the digital economy for sustainable development.

The Minister who observed that there is a gap between the Government and the young people expressed his heartfelt desire for the Youths of the nation to feel the Government. He opined that the country has the most intelligent youths in the world.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation from NIPSS, Barrister Nima Salman Mann, mni said they are in the Ministry to research, proffer solutions, recommendations and strategies to help Government chart its course for the the year, with the theme : ‘Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities’.

.She also added that Ministry of Youth Development is very germane to this year’s theme .” We are with the Ministry of Youth to listen to what you are doing to help the youth, how you are doing it, strategic plans and way forward as well as how we can use the digital economy to chart the goal for sustainable job creation,” she concluded.

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