Buhari to Wade into Challenges in Sport Sector

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently looking into some of the major challenges confronting the Nigerian sport sector, particularly as it regards the N1.2billion needed to host the National Youth Festival, and need to ensure that the country is not de-listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Making this known on Monday during a chat with State House correspondents after briefing the president, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, assured the people that President Buhari has given him assurances to step in to address issues confronting the sport sector.

 Dalung said there is a challenge of funding facing the National Youth Festival that would take place from December 6 to 16 after over six years, and that Nigeria has been given 21-day notice by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to be de-listed for non-compliance with the need to setup an independent anti-doping agency in the country.

“Basically, these are the issues I discussed with the president. The president took note of it and assured me that everything would be done to ensure that some of these avoidable challenges are given prompt attention.

    “We had our budget at N9 million to be raised by the government, and we were thinking of getting N4million from our partner but with the failure, it means the federal government will now bankroll N1.2billion budget.

    “We have challenges with the funding. Initially, we signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a sponsor who was going to contribute one third of the fund, but unfortunately, he could not make it, so I need the support of the president for further funding to augment the space created by that vacuum, and the president had graciously given approval to the request. We will submit it in writing soon.

    “On the issue of the fate of the 21-day notice and the legislation at the National Assembly, the president can interface with the leadership of the National Assembly, but because of the exigency of the situation, knowing too well that most of them are sport loving Nigerians, they can even abridged their recess and give it an urgent attention because it is an issue of national importance. So, I think that that is what will happen,” Dalung stated.

The sport minister added that “another thing I briefed the president on has to do with the progress in our AFCON competition where our team has qualified just like the world cup with a month to spare. So, I assured him that we will continue to do everything possible to ensure that the team maintains their dominance of the African football. I also mentioned to him the challenges we are facing with late release of funds, which sometimes affect the morale.”