By Joe Apu
Still smarting from the successful hosting of the 21st National Sports Festival, the Delta State government has won the bid for the hosting rights of the 7th National Youth Games to Delta State.
According to a statement released from the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development signed by Mohammed Manga,
Director, Press and Public Relations; the choice of Delta State was reached at a meeting of stakeholders for the Games, which held on the sidelines of the recently concluded 21st National Sports Festival.
The statement further revealed that the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Ismaila Abubakar, noted that the National Youth Games has since inception become a veritable ground for harvesting the huge talents that abound within the country.
According to him, “many of the discovered athletes have been nurtured to elite level by the Ministry where several of them have been excelling at the international stage by posting podium performance for the country.”
Other objectives of the Game according to him, is to “promote National Unity; curb age cheating in Sports and Youth restiveness as well as establish a standard programme for athletes’ succession”, amongst others.
Ismaila assured that the Ministry is poised to ensuring that the gains and objectives of the Youth Games are sustained hence, the Ministry’s determination to seek for an alternative host venue for the National Youth Games.
The newly appointed host state, Delta, he added, has indicated its interest to host the Games at the Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Delta State.
The State has equally expressed its readiness to host the Games from February 8-18, 2023, as unanimously agreed by the stakeholders at a virtual meeting that took place on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.