By Ahmed Kaigama
The Sports Ambassadors International Network for Tinubu (SAINT), on Thursday said the Federal Government’s interventions in the last three have repositioned sports significantly.
The group made its position known in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mr Qoozeem Oladapo, and the National Secretary and Legal Adviser, Joel Duku, in Maiduguri.
It identified the restoration of the National Sports Commission (NSC) as the apex sports’ development body among the major institutional reforms undertaken by the administration.
The statement said the reorganisation was aimed at reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks, strengthening professionalism, accountability and positioning sports as a contributor to youth development and the economy.
It added that the administration’s emphasis on sports as an economic opportunity through investment, public-private partnerships, talent development and job creation was also worthy of commendation.
The statement cited the Athlete-First policy, support for elite athletes, grassroots and school sports development, infrastructure investment and the introduction of Invited Junior Athletes at the National Sports Festival as wonderful initiatives.
It, however, commended the federal government for supporting Nigerian athletes and teams, particularly the Super Falcons, D’Tigress and Super Eagles, through national honors, financial rewards and other welfare packages.
According to the statement, the government’s attention to sports funding, governance reforms and the Renewed Hope Initiative on the Nigerian Sports Economy (RHINSE) are also relevant to the sector’s development.
The statement said that the federal government had in August directed comprehensive reforms covering governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability in football.
It called for sustained investment, accountability, athlete welfare and long-term planning, adding that sports could contribute to youth empowerment, employment, national unity, diplomacy and economic development, if properly managed.
The statement pledged to continue to highlight and document developments in sports and recognise the contributions of athletes, coaches, administrators, sports journalists and other stakeholders in Nigerian sports.
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