Our performance in international sports arena enhanced by our adherence to world class standards says Bolaji Abdullahi, Sports Minister.

[FMINigeria]

The Minister of Youth Development and Chairman, Nigerian Sports Commission, Bolaji Abdullahi has said that Nigeria's performance in international competitions is an indication that his Ministry is adhering to world class standards in the development of the nation's sports sector.

He made this remark at the 2013 Ministerial Platform which held at the National Press Centre, Radio House, Abuja, Monday, June 10, 2013. He revealed that the regulation and administration of sport enabled the strengthening of sports through key policy actions initiated and implemented in the past two years of Jonathan's administration.

In enumerating these achievements, Abdullahi itemized the followings: "TEAM NIGERIA female boxer, defeated the world Number 2 and got to the quarter-finals, losing out to the world's Number 1; TEAM NIGERIA male Basketball team, D'Tigers qualified to represent Nigeria at the London 2012 Olympics after beating the African Champions, Tunisia in the first game."

He further listed that "At the London 2012 Paralympics Games, Nigeria put up a stellar performance clinching: 6 Gold, 5 Silver and 1 Bronze," he indicated.

Additional achievements listed were that in 2012, the 18th National Sports Festival, EKO 2012, was held in Lagos; adding that Nigeria emerged 3rd at the 2012 Senior African Wrestling Championship in Morocco and was overall winner at the 2012 Senior Africa Weightlifting Championships in Kenya.

The Sports Minister further revealed that the presidential retreat on sports held last year was instrumental to reviving sports in Nigeria.

He explained that the retreat resolved to enhance the efficiency of sports federations, create a high performance sports development directorate, improve coaching capacities, improve corporate sports sponsorship, mobilize lottery funding for sports, consider special taxes to fund sports, increase and sustain government funding for sports, enact the National Sports Commission and initiated the bill to allow for the professionalization of sports management and administration in Nigeria. "Nigeria has been and will continue to be recognized as a great sporting nation because of our achievements over the years", he reiterated.

While speaking on other achievements, the Minister disclosed that a Code of Governance and Election Guidelines for National Sports Federations has since been instituted as well as Traffic Light Funding System for sporting activities and a High Performance Directorate. "As a paradigm shift, the newly established funding strategy will guide the disbursement of funds across various sports sectors and direct attention from funding sporting federations to funding sporting activities for a performance-driven sports funding"; he said.

Explaining the funding strategies, he said, the RED and GREEN funds are dedicated to promoting sporting activities at the grassroots level and stimulating mass participation in sports by individual athletes, coaches and managers.

While speaking on the challenges of the Ministry, Bolaji Abdullahi said issues such as limited collaboration with the education sector, non-passage of the NSC Bill by the National Assembly, low level of scientific development of sports, politicization of sporting facilities and low private sector interest in funding sports are challenges confronting the sports sector.

Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria