Minister Challenges Professionals On Marketing Strategies

Sports Minister, Yusuf Suleiman has advised sports professionals to acquaint themselves with marketing strategies to generate funds for their organisations.

Suleiman, who is also Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), gave the advice in his remarks to declare open a three-month sports administration and events management course organised for sports professionals in Abuja.

“Your exposure to this programme is expected to acquaint you with marketing strategies to generate funds for your organisation so as to ensure that your successes depend less on government funding and more from the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP),’’ he said.

The capacity-building course is a Certificate Programme Management Development (CPMD) being run by the Wits Business School of South Africa.

The NSC chairman said that as professionals, the participants were not only expected to be versed in marketing and administrative procedures but also in motivational skills for handling sportsmen and women.

He noted that training and re-training were essential to guaranteeing increased productivity and said the NSC was committed to ensuring that professionals in the field received adequate training.

“We want them to receive adequate training that will translate into capacity-building and efficiency,’’ Suleiman said.

He said this was what made the commission to, in conjunction with South Africa-based media group Supersports, organise the course with the South African School and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

“It is on the premise of this that we decided with others to organise a three-month module pilot course in capacity-building.

“In order to show our commitment to empower professionals, we had in 2009 sponsored two sports officers to South Africa to attend a six-month module course in capacity-building in sports administration and management,’’ the NSC chairman said.

He pointed out that the success of the programme had led to the collaboration for its ongoing third phase.

“The outcome of this will encourage not only stronger ties among the three parties involved but it will also enhance improved relationships and value addition to our sports development,’’ Suleiman said.

The course’s five-day Block One will end on Friday, with Block Two scheduled for August 22 to August 26 and Block Three for September 26 to October 1.

The final phase is Block Four, scheduled for October 24 to October 29, while the graduation ceremony is scheduled for December 8.