No date has yet been fixed for the 19th National Sports Festival, which Cross River will host in Calabar.
This was disclosed by Tunde Kazeem, the Chairman of the State Directors of Sports Forum.
Kazeem told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday that the Forum was not aware of any new date for the festival.
NAN recalls that the festival, earlier slated for November 23 to December 7, 2014, was later shifted to April 2015, but the event has not come up since then.
This was because the hosts and the National Sports Commission, owners of the event, have not been able to agree on the funding and facilities.
Kazeem told NAN: “The NSF is the programme of the NSC and the host state as it is the case.
“But there is no date for now.
“Anything anybody is saying to us as Directors of Sports, we don’t believe it.
“At least, until there is a National Council of Sports meeting where we will inspect what the host state has and jointly pick a date.
|That meeting can only be called by the Minister of Youths and Sports.
“So, until that is done, all the speculation that the festival will hold in April is just a speculation.
“We have not been informed of anything.”
Kazeem said the hosts’ readiness was a determinant in the dates the event would hold.
The Kwara State Director of Sports said: “Also, for the festival to hold, there must have been the zonal preliminary competitions.
“But I am hoping and praying that the event will hold this year.”
NAN recalls that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State had earlier been reported to have said the state has huge financial constraints.
He had said such constraints might stop the state from funding or hosting the festival.
However, Asu Okang, the state’s Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, recently assured the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, of the state’s readiness to host the festival.
NAN also reports that the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged: “Eko Games,” was hosted by Lagos State between November and December 2012.
NAN.
Trending
- Four dead, 70 vehicles burnt in fuel tanker explosion in Rivers – Police
- Navy recruits 1,486 to tackle oil theft, piracy – Minister
- Ondo 2024: Sowore’s party’s candidate emerges
- LG poll: OYSIEC apologises for lateness, speaks on alternative to voter card
- Breaking: Olukoyede restructures EFCC, appoints CoS, Zonal Directors
- 19 children feared killed by measles complications in Adamawa
- NCoS speaks on reported one-bedroom flat for Bobrisky
- Gombe LG polls: Ruling party sweeps all positions