The Federal Government has reaffirmed that, to achieve the goals and objectives of the National Youth Games, which among others, is to discover and develop young athletes into podium performances at future competitive sporting events, both locally and internationally, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development will introduce the Camping System of nurturing the skills of our under-15 Athletes to attain our national aspirations for Youth and Sports Development.
The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare gave this policy direction at a media interactive session at the University of ILorin venue of the ongoing 5th Edition of National Youth Games.
While pouring encomiums on the Philosophy and vision behind the National Youth Games, Mr Dare opined that the Games is a renaissance of real grassroots sports development in the country, adding, it is the deliberate plan of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to turn over the discovered talents of the Games to the Federations for subsequent and proper management through the Camping System.
Recalling the earlier meeting he had with the States Director of Sports last week Monday Evening, the Honourable Minister praised their collaborative efforts, stressing, without them, the Games would not have been possible.
On this note, Mr Dare in line with the Federal Government’s avowed policy of taking Youth and Sports Development to a transformative level, proclaimed that he would have another productive interactive meeting with the States Director of Sports, to know their challenges, and thereafter: he said “Together, we can learn, to take it as raw material to all the Governors”. He promised to present their recommendations on how to improve grassroot sport development to the body of the National Economic Council on their behalf as the Federal Minister of Youth and Sports Development.
Furthermore, Mr Dare said that the Ministry will in collaboration with the States strive to improve the capacity of Athletic Coaches through enhanced capacity building programme to achieve our vision and objective for high performance in Athletics generally.
In the course of acknowledging the state and condition of facilities in our Stadia across the country, the Honourable Minister reaffirmed that the administration of Presidential Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, is committed to increase the ante for effective management and upgrade of facilities in our Stadia.
Present at the interactive session with the Media were the Director of Grassroot Sports Department of the Ministry, Dr Ademola Are; Director of Sports, Kwara State; Deputy Directors of the Ministry, Presidents of Federations and their Secretaries, Coaches from the States, Games Officials, and our Sports Icons, Ambassadors Mary Onyali and Falilat Ogunkoya; including some Under – 15 Athletes from different States.
Ramon A. Balogun
Asst. Director (Information)
For: Director, Press
