Sports Minister To Back FASU Games In Nigeria

By Sylvia Akpan

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has committed to supporting the upcoming Federation of African University Games (FASU), which will be hosted in Nigeria.

The Minister, speaking while receiving a delegation from the FASU organizing committee during a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja, where he assured that the Ministry of Sports Development will take all necessary measures to ensure the successful hosting of the games in Nigeria.

Expressing concern over the current state of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA), the Minister urged the committee to critically evaluate NUGA’s past successes to identify key factors that contributed to its previous achievements.

He also emphasized the Ministry’s readiness to provide the Nigerian team with access to its facilities. He highlighted the importance of high-performance centers, noting that such facilities distinguish successful nations in sports from those that struggle. The Senator stressed that sports development requires cooperation and collaboration at local, sub-national, and national levels.

Senator Enoh reaffirmed his Ministry’s commitment to revitalizing school sports across the country, recognizing the significant benefits the initiative could bring.

Owan revealed plans to lead a Ministry delegation on an official visit to the Education Ministry after the ongoing Paralympic Games, aiming to explore collaborative efforts for the advancement of school sports.

Earlier, Dr. Mohammed Bawa, President and Chairman of the FASU Games organizing committee, praised the Minister’s grassroots-focused approach to sports administration and requested that the Minister ensure the Nigerian team is provided with the necessary training equipment to prepare them effectively for the competition.

Dr. Bawa also raised concerns about the high mandatory visa fee of $200, appealing to the Minister to work with the Ministry of Interior to secure a waiver for students, thereby encouraging greater participation from various African countries.