Sports Minister Calls For More Collaboration With Stakeholders
By Victor UDU.
In a bid to jumpstart the desired transformation of Sports in the country, the Sports Minister, Senator John Owan Enoh has sued for more collaboration with Stakeholders in the sports industry.
The Minister Speaking when Members of Dream Sports Africa visited him in Abuja said under his watch, the Ministry of Sports Development would collaborate with relevant Stakeholders, Private Sector investors, civil societies as well as the global sports community to fully unlock the economic potentials of Sports in Nigeria and in the process unleash one of the most consequential transformations of the 21st century.
He highlighted some of the potentials of Sports to include wealth creation, employment generation, social inclusivity and the ability to make substantial contributions to the nation's GDP stressing that "sports plays a role in at least four of government's eight point agenda including security and insecurity, generation of employment, poverty Alleviation and social inclusion.
Enoh noted that the private sector organizations have a critical role to play in unlocking these opportunities but that this huge potential has been squandered due to inaction and misplaced priorities but however urged the private sector and other major players in the industry to take advantage of the incentives put in place by the Tinubu led government to invest massively in the development of sports in Nigeria.
In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration, the Minister stated that government has endorsed the National Sports Industry Policy, NSIP, approved by the immediate past administration and that the ministry is committed to the implementation of the policy especially in aspects like expanding and improving school Sports games, implementing strategic plans to define the growth path for discovered talents, improved welfare for athletes and Public Private Partnership for upgrade of essential sports infrastructure across the country.
While speaking, the Director, Dream Sports, Africa, Mr Michael Anejo assured that his organization will identify critical areas to partner with the Ministry and the FG to ensure the realization of the policy objectives of the present administration as it relates to sports development.
