Sports Ministry Staff Celebrate Return Of National Sports Commission

Staffers yesterday jubilated the scrapping of Federal ministry of sports development even as they commended President Bola Tinubu forward bringing back the National Sports Commission (NSC), reports Completesports.com.

The federal executive Council had on Wednesday after its meeting announce the return of the national sports commission as the body in charge of sports development in place of the Federal ministry of sports development and the appointment of Malam Shehu Dikko as the chairman of the commission.

When Completespors.com visited the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja where the scrapped ministry of sports development is domiciled, both senior and junior staff were seen wearing smiles and celebrating the return of the NSC even as they commended President Bola Tinubu for this gesture.

Those who spoke on condition of anonymity said the return of the NSC will hopefully bring back professionalism and organisation into sports administration adding that the switch from NSC to ministry of sports has done more harm than good to sports.

“The era of round pegs in square holes are over, professionals should be allowed to administer the sports the proper way. Politicians without sports background have done enough damage to sports in recent years, so we are happy that President Tinubu harkened to our cry by appointing a chairman who knows sports” a top management staff divulged.

Also speaking another chieftain of the defunct ministry of sports development pleaded for the appointment of a director general who is not only a professional but vast in sports administration.

“We should reach out for sports management gurus to come in as director general and rebuild the commission. One of the reasons we failed at Olympics in Paris was because the minister and permanent secretary of the ministry were novices who could not filter honest and progressive advise from the professionals in the ministry.

“In this situation, I wished the likes of Dr Amos Adamu, Dr Pat Ekeji or Dr Igbinosun were considered for roles as sole administrator for a brief period to reset back to original NSC. However, we are happy that we have a Shehu Dikko that has been in football administration and marketing for almost 20 years”our source stated.

Dr Amos Adamu served as first as director of sports from 1994 to 1999 before he was appointed DG from 2000:2009, followed by Dr Patrick Ekeji from 2010 -2013, Gbenga Elegbeleye from 2013 to 2015 and Alhassan Yakmut from 2015 to 2016.

By Richard Jideaka