NYG: Preteens shine, as Minister assures on youth, grassroots devt. programmes


Minister of Youth and sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has assured that young talents discovered at the National Youth Games (NYG) will be nurtured to stardom, while urging all states to establish sports commission. 


According to the Minister, he was poised to ensure sports renaissance in the country through grassroots sports development, which could only be complemented by sports commissions in all 36 states and the FCT.


Children under 10-years old shone like bright stars at the U-15 Games with unbelievable performances. Eight-year old Happiness Monday of Plateau state won gold medal in scrabble, Nicholas Aleche (6) of Niger state, Deborah Quickpen (7) of Bayelsa state, 11-year old Emmanuel Osadebe of Bayelsa state all shone in chess. Ogun state duo of Mustapha Lamidi (11) and Jenifer Akor (13) won medals in gymnastics. 


Speaking on Sunday while presenting 26 of the gifted talents discovered at the Games to sports reporters, the Minister said the talents discovered would be penciled down and handed over to the various sports federation to nurture and keep tabs.
Dare disclosed that besides the federation’s input in developing the talents, the ministry would henceforth, embark on periodic camping for the athletes to nurture them to make Nigeria proud in the future. “I deliberately decided to see these few ones, I know they will be more because at the last games 250 were discovered.


“I wish as a whole we can have sports commissions all over the country unlike what is obtainable now that some states have ministries of sports while others have sports commissions. On Monday night, I met with all the Directors of Sports and we rubbed minds. 
“We want to make sure that beyond sending these young ones to federations we want to introduce periodic camping system so that we can nurture them and watch them grow to stardom,” he said.

Leave a Reply