Sports

There’s No Political Will To Fix National Stadium -Dare

Published

4 months ago

September 16, 2019

There is now a departure from the previous neglect and lack of political will to fix the abandoned National Stadium all over the country, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare, said at the weekend, noting that the facilities would now enjoy political will.
The minister, who paid a one-day working visit to the National Stadium, Lagos, said that the stadium’s reinstatement was among his three point agenda as a minister.
According to newsmen, the minister in the company of the Chairman, Nigeria Women League, Aisha Falode and other directors in the ministry of sports visited the stadium that has suffered neglect for over 16 years.
Dare said that the ministry’s agenda for sports development in Nigeria would be in three key areas which includes, facilities maintenance, upgrade and management.
“I am on a working visit to the National Stadium, Lagos today, but I have visited MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna and Daura Township Stadium.
“I visited Daura Township Stadium because there is also a plan for grassroots development of sports in our agenda.
“For us in the Youth Ministry, we will focus, on three major things which includes, facility maintenance, upgrade and management.
“What I have seen here is because we have not done 100 per cent management and upgrade of the stadium over the years,” he said.
Dare said that his working visit to the stadium was not for ritual sake, but to have an holistic assessment of the stadium with a strong political will to fix it.
“Let me say that my coming here is not for ritual sake, I came with a renewed instruction from the President Muhammadu Buhari who gave the assignment.
“There is political will on the part of the president this time to make sure that national monuments like this are not neglected.
“For this, we will find out an option at which we can restore back to glory Nigeria as a football nation.
“We should have up to 10 or 12 international standard stadium and pitches up top FIFA standard. So, there is a renewed political will to restore the stadium,” he said.
Dare disclosed that a Public Private Partnership to bring back the stadium would not be jettisoned, adding that holistic assessment would be given to the facilities.
“A process is in place before I came in as minister and I cannot truncate that. The president has made a decision on the facility.
“My work is to inspect and provide the right advice from a professional standpoint. I will be working in conjunction with experts form the Nigeria Football Federation and the youth ministry.
“I hope that the arrangement with the Federal Government and Lagos state Government will come and we are also looking at Public Private Partnership for a model to evolve and put the facility back.
“As I have said before I will not be only the Minister of Football, but sports. Nigeria has excelled in many sports; we have about 12 sports which we have competitive edge,” he said.

Sports

RSG Partner SWAN For School Sports Development

Published

20 hours ago

January 20, 2020

The Tide

Rivers State Government has expressed commitment to partner Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Rivers State chapter towards development of school sports in the state.
The Special Adviser (SA) to the State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, on school Sports, Aribitonye Okiri stated that it is important to partner SWAN to achieve the desired results.
Okiri, said this at the weekend in a media parley with members of the association at the Ernest Ikoli Press Center, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
He explained that government is poised to bring back school sports as it was in 1970s, saying that sports create wealth.
“ School sports is dead in our schools. I want to say that SWAN has important role to play in terms of sports development”, Okiri said.
According to him, the state government has the youth at heart as to redirect them to sporting activities, adding that the focus is not going to be football only.
“ With sports activities in our school, crime and poverty rate will be drastically reduced in our society. We can use the power of sports to create wealth”, he said.
The Special Assistant, noted that there are a lot of talents at the rural areas that are begging for help, but with SWAN partnership hidden talents would be exposed to limelight.
He disclosed that his office would draw up a time table for school sports, so that there would be competitions to discover hidden talents. He used the medium to appeal to well meaning individuals, cooperate bodies and multi-nationals to support the government to sponsor sporting activities in the state. .

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

We Need To Work Hard For Success – Eguma

Published

20 hours ago

January 20, 2020

The Tide

The Technical Manager of Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt, Stanley Eguma has said the victory against Lobi Stars FC, at the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is not the end of the road.
He stated that they have a task to achieve good results in every match they play.
Eguma said this last Wednesday, while briefing sports journalists shortly after they defeated Lobi Stars 2-1 in match day 15 of the NPFL at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, in Port Harcourt.
“We are need to work harder. We taking it match after match, God willing, we can sing praises at the end of the League”, Eguma said.
He commended his players for their efforts, saying that they deserved the victory.
“ It was a good game. We played well and deserved victory. It was a tough one. we need to celebrate it because we worked for it”, he stated.
He further explained that the League is still halfway, it would be too early to start thinking of winning the League.
According to him, my team is not built around one particular player saying that every player in the team is part of his programme.
Also speaking, the head coach of Lobi Stars, Gbenga Ogubote, expressed sadness over the loss, saying that it is painful, because he did not intend to lose in Port Harcourt.
According to him, every team in the NPFL have equal chance of winning the league.
“Rivers United FC is a house hold name in the league”, Ogunbote said.
The Lobi coach equally said they would go back and correct their mistakes.

Kiadum Edookor

Sports

MFM FC Declare Oriyomi Murtala Lawal AWOL

Published

20 hours ago

January 20, 2020

The Tide

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries FC, wishes to inform the general public, most especially the clubs in Nigerian Football Leagues about one of its players, Oriyomi Murtala Lawal who is presently AWOI
The player left the club on the 15t, January, 2020, a night before our home game against Jigawa Golden Stars without the knowledge nor approval of the club’s management.
MFM FC warned that any club or agent approaching the player for the purpose of transfer without the Club’s approval would face the risk of a lawsuit, as the player is contracted to MFM FC.
Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries FC has declared one of its players, Oriyomi Murtala Lawal, missing and has warned clubs in the Nigerian Professional Football League from signing the player.
Oriyomi Murtala Lawal was said to have left the club on the 15th, January 2020, a night before their home game against Jigawa Golden Stars without the knowledge nor approval of the club’s management.
The player is also said to be interested in a move to another club and willing to force the transfer through.
MFM FC, however, claimed Oriyomi still has a valid contract with the club and warned clubs or agents against approaching the player for the purpose of transfer without the club’s approval.
MFM FC is currently seventh on the log of Nigeria Professional Football League with 22 points from 14 matches, but have a game in hand.