The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 has given a formal approval for the staging of the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival after the host state met all the stipulated health protocol.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare announced the approval in a statement, following a letter dated March 30, 2021 and signed by Dr Assad Hassan saying the task force was pleased with the adequate preparatory engagements on covid-19 Protocol among the Edo State Government, Centre For Disease Control and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency towards safe conduct of the Sports Festival,
The letter reads in parts:
" I have been directed to convey the approval of the *PTF* for the 2020 National sports Festival to proceed as scheduled from April 2nd- 14th."
"The *PTF* further commended the Minister of Youth and sports Development for taking the bold, difficult but necessary step of postponing the Festival severally due to the spike in the spread of the pandemic."
The Festival was earlier billed to take place last year but was postponed following the outbreak of Covid-19 which led to national lockdown.
Meanwhile Team Ogun may boycott the National Festival, over non-payment of their allowances for the games which kick start this Friday,2nd of April
The athletes numbering about 50 were seen on Wednesday's at the Oke-mosan Abeokuta Governor's Office, to demand for payment of their allowances .
It was also learnt that the athletes are not yet in camp barely a day to the commencement of the festival, because of lack of fund to prepare them for the games.
Further investigation revealed that, the lack of preparation was due to paucity of funds from the state government.
Some of the athletes claimed that they were yet to be paid their winning bonuses for their participation in the 2018 festival held in Abuja.
Ishau Ogunkunle, a Tokyo Olympic bound Nigerian Para-table tennis star, explained that majority of the athletes are on contract since 2009, representing the state
He added the athletes had won major laurels in different games.
Ishau maintained that, they have been training since last year individually despite series of postponement, stressing that they are ready anytime the state government approve fund for the team.
Also Bola Sogbamu, a female boxer, added that they were at the governor's office to confirm if the state will be competing at this year's festival.
Sogbamu insisted that, they would not leave the governor's office until the Governor meet their requirements.
Top officials from the State Ministry of Youths and Sports, including the Permanent Secretary and Director of Sports were seen at the governor's office apparently to get the governor's approval for their budget.
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