COVID-19: National Sports Festival postponed

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 says the 2020 National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Edo State has been postponed to 2021.

At a briefing on Monday in Abuja, the PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the postponement was to allow proper measures to be put in place.

Mustapha said with more than 12,000 participants expected at the event, there was the need for the adjustment.

He said: “Over the past weeks, discussions have been held about safety issues pertaining to the National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Benin.

“New dates have been agreed upon early in 2021, before which measures will be put in place to minimise inflections.”

While calling for continued surveillance across the country and strict adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures against novel coronavirus, the SGF said the PTF was working on a strategy for gaining access to vaccines as soon as available.

Mustapha said there had been positive developments around the world regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

He added: “However, before it becomes available, we urge you to continue to comply with the non-pharmaceutical interventions.

“The PTF is already working on a strategy for gaining access to the vaccines as soon as they are available,” he said.

The chairman said the PTF was escalating its surveillance and testing drive to ensure containment of the virus ahead of Christmas season for the safety and health of the citizens.

He said the PTF would  ontinue to remind Nigerians that all non-essential trips should be put off during the season.

On the successful camping of the National Youth Service Corps members, Mustapha said: “We are pleased to inform you that the first stream of NYSC has concluded camping while we expect the second stream to go to camp on December 3, and the third stream would be in January 2021.

“Necessary measures, building on the successes of the first stream, have been taken.”

The News Agency of Nigeria report that  the National Sports Festival, the 20th edition, tagged: “Edo 2020,” was billed to hold from December 3 to 8 in Benin.