Ekeji urges states to pay adequate attention to grassroots sports development

THE Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr. Patrick Ekeji, has said that successful sports development is determined by the attention and resources geared towards talent hunt programmes at the grassroots.Speaking on Wednesday while declaring open the technical session of the first Ordinary Council of Sports meeting held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Lagos, Ekeji maintained that Nigeria is blessed with abundant potential that could make the country the best in sports in Africa and among the best 20 in the world. The meeting was convened not only to consider issues germane to the rules and regulations guiding the organisation and participation in the National Sports Festival (NSF) billed to be hosted by Lagos State in November 2012, but also a forum to discuss sports development in general.In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Sports, Lagos, Dr. 'Delano Adepoju-Conde, said the festival would afford the state the opportunity to showcase its implemented developmental projects and advocated adequate channeling of attention and resources towards grassrootssports programmes.He noted that the forthcoming 18th National Sports Festival would be the first to be directly organised by the people and Government of Lagos State. Therefore, he assured that the state would not shy away from its responsibilities as host in the provision of state-of-the-art physical sports infrastructure and equipment, befitting accommodation, feeding for athletes and officials and transportation system. The NSF was initiated in 1970 to integrate and unite the nation after the Civil War, especially the youths through sports. The NSF inaugural edition was held in Lagos but hosted by the Federal Government.The technical session of the National Council of Sports is a meeting of directors and permanent secretaries of sports in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.The meeting will discuss issues pertaining to sports and make recommendations to the National Council on Sports, which comprises all the commissioners for sportsin the federation, the National Sports Commission and important stakeholders in sports.
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