0
0
Mr. Sunday Dare, Nigeria Minister of Youth and Sports
By Raphael Ekpang
The pragmatic minister of youth and sports, Mr. Sunday Dare has boasted that the proposed visit of the International Olympic s Committee’s president, Dr. Thomas Bach and his team to Nigeria is a sign of good things coming to our sports sector.
The Minister made this known on Friday during a parley with the media in Abuja to herald the visit which is scheduled for the 14th of November, 2019.
He also used the opportunity to reel out the program of events concerning the visit of the world respected IOC Chief which included; the commissioning of Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA)’s office, a courtesy call to state house, tour of the facilities at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, meetings with Olympians, Olympic Scholarship holders and visit to NOC Partners, amongst others.
“You will agree with me that the visit by the IOC President and his team is quite significant as it shows the place of Nigeria in the heart of the International Olympic Movement and it also a clear sign that Nigeria is highly respected in the Sports sector among the comity of African Nations.
“There is no doubt that Nigeria is in the vanguard of promoting the noble ideas
of the Olympic Movement in Africa which is well displayed by the country’s commitment to the construction of the headquarters of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) especially since 2006 when Nigeria won the Bid to host the Headquarters.
“It is with great pleasure that I make bold to say that the building will be commissioned for the use of the African people and the development of Sports in Africa.
“The visit of the IOC President to Nigeria to specifically commission the Secretariat is a clear indication of the commitment of the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari to ensuring the development of Sports in Africa as a whole and Nigeria in particular. It is further a testament to that our return to greater transparency in sports administration is engendering trust in Nigeria’s capacity to implement international best practices,” Minister also disclosed.
