DELTA STATE SETS TO HOLD NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL

By Christiana Adedayo.

As revealed in the statement earlier signed by Mr Peter Nelson, secretary of the Main organising Committee (MOC) of the National Sport Festival on September 23, 2022 of the postponement of the 21st National Sport Festival (NSF) tagged "DELTA 2022" to hold November 28 - December 10, 2022, the host - Delta State is now ready for the Festival.

The Nigeria Minister of Youth and Sports development, Mr Sunday Akin Dare, declared on Friday that the 21st National Sports Festival (DELTA 2022) will go ahead as re scheduled. This he made known after the inspection of the facilities put in place by the host state.

Mr Dare while speaking with journalists after the inspection of the facilities said he was highly impressed with the level of work done by the various contractors. (Vanguard, 05/11/22), Mr Dare disclosed " the last time I came here there were no foundation, but I can say that virtually all the facilities are about 80 percent ready. I am really impressed".

In preparation for the 21st NSF, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, delegated different works to contractors among which are: the relaying of the tartan track at the Stephen Keshi stadium, renovation of the old indoor sport hall while building a new indoor sport hall, building of a brand new swimming pool within the stadium complex, as well as hostel facilities for the national sport festival. 

All these and more showed that Delta State is set and ready for the 21st NSF.

It would be recalled that the 21st edition of the NSF was earlier scheduled to take place between 2 -15 November 2022, but had to be postponed by the host state because they had to put the necessary things in place while keeping up as well has surpassing the set standard by the previous host - Edo 2021.

Started and staged in 1973 at the National Stadium, Surulere in Lagos, the sport Festival was originally conceived as a "unifying tool" with the main purpose of promoting peace and cross cultural affiliation in Nigeria after the Nigeria civil war in 1970. Hence, with no doubt, the game has being achieving the main purpose.

The Nigerian National Sports Festival is a biennial multi-sport event organized by the Federal government of Nigeria through the National Sports Commission for athletes from the 36 states of the Nigeria.