FCT school sports festival: FCTA, RSDF strike deal [PICTURES]

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has entered into partnership with Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF) as a measure to promote sports development and management in the territory.

Specifically, both the government and non-governmental bodies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to annually organise School Sports Festival within FCT for primary and secondary school children.

Performing the official signing ceremony FCTA Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, expressed happiness over the partnership, saying RSDF had contributed immensely within and outside the FCT towards sports development, hence the need for collaboration between the two bodies. 

According to him, the involvement of private sectors in funding of sport activities has become a trending thing around the world, adding that Nigeria should not be an exemption.

He said: “As a matter of fact, when I was in Youth and Sports, during some of our sports participation abroad, I observed that some of the officials that come from different countries are not really government officials, some are from private sectors hired by those countries.

“So I have to suggest this to my Minister at the Youth and Sports then and it was approved. That was why, when I saw your proposal I was happy about this partnership because government cannot fund sports alone.”

Also speaking, FCTA Mandate Secretary for Education, Mallam Sani El-Katuzu, said the relationship would not have come at a better time, adding that it would fast-track the ministry’s policy on sports and physical education. 

Earlier, the President and Founder RSDF, Paul Edeh, while reeling out numerous engagements and achievements of the Foundation said the importance of sports development in schools can not be overemphasised, saying that the best place to catch and groom young stars early through regular sports activities is the school system.

Barr. Edeh who is also the President of Naija Ratels FC, a towering women club in the premiership of Nigeria Women Football League said, “The target for the FCT School Sports Festival are boys and girls in Primary, Junior and Senior secondary schools in the six Area Councils in the FCT. 

“The event would accommodate the following sporting activities in both male and female categories:  football, basketball, volleyball, athletics, table tennis, badminton, javelin, chess, scrabble, shot put amongst others. Other activities are Spelling Bee, Quiz and Debate.”

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