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Governor Peter Mbah has given his firmest guarantee yet that Enugu will deliver the 23rd National Sports Festival on schedule, after a high-level MOC Advisory Team briefed him on preparations at the Government House on Wednesday.
The delegation led by MOC Consultant Dr. Kweku Tandoh, had gone to update the Governor on milestones reached so far by the MOC and LOC, and to flag the issues still needing his direct intervention if the Festival is to meet international standards and the National Sports Commission’s timeline.
Mbah’s response was immediate and pointed. He ordered action on every issue raised in the meeting and set up a monitoring team to report to him daily on progress across all fronts. He directed that the LOC Secretariat be activated at once as the operational hub for the Games, and that all LOC subcommittees be constituted without delay — though in the name of efficiency, he approved trimming those subcommittees from 19 down to 13 for tighter coordination and accountability.
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On the core promise, the Governor was blunt: there will be no postponement. He assured the delegation that the Games Village and every competition venue will be fully ready ahead of the Festival’s opening. He also ordered the immediate rollout of media, publicity, and marketing efforts to drive nationwide awareness and mobilisation, and asked to hold regular interface meetings with the Advisory Team so problems get caught and resolved quickly rather than piling up.
On its part, the Advisory Team pledged the National Sports Commission’s full backing and close coordination with the state government, with the shared goal of a peaceful, well-run Festival that showcases Nigerian athletes and Enugu’s cultural heritage. The delegation which also included Dr. Emmanuel Igbinosa, Mr. Sunday Odebode, Mr. Idowu Oladipupo, and LOC Secretary-General Mr. Olumide Bamiduro conveyed greetings from NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade and commended Enugu and its people for accepting the honour of hosting, noting that it marks the first time since Imo ‘98 that a South-East state has hosted Nigeria’s biggest multi-sports event.
