National Council On Sports Opens in Calabar

The National Sports Commission (NSC), under the leadership of chairman, Shehu Dikko and Director General, Bukola Olopade, opened the Technical Session of the 2nd National Council on Sports in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

The 2nd National Council on Sports was been described as platform to lay the groundwork for major policy decisions geared towards redefining sports development in Nigeria.

The Director General Olopade, made the remark while declaring open the first technical session in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.

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Olopade, who further described the session as “critical to shaping the future of sports in the country,” noted that the resolutions reached would guide reforms under the Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He stated that sports was placed at the heart of youth development, job creation, unity and national pride, reiterating the commission’s resolve to chart a new direction through the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE).

“This technical session sets the foundation for the decisions and recommendations that will shape the future of sports development in Nigeria,” Olopade said.

“We are implementing reforms in governance, athlete welfare, infrastructure upgrade and sports commercialisation to ensure the sector can fully contribute to national growth.”

Highlighting achievements recorded over the past year, the NSC boss pointed to improved performances by Nigerian athletes on the international stage, expansion of grassroots sports, upgrades of key facilities and renewed private-sector partnerships.

He hinted that the policy focus for 2025 would include sports as an engine of economic growth, a tool for unity, a platform for diplomacy and a vehicle for community integration.

“Together, we will build a sports sector worthy of Nigeria’s greatness,” he told delegates.

In a goodwill message, the National President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Benjamin, described the council meeting as “very important”.

Benjamin noted that the meeting  was a convergence of Commissioners and Directors for Sports from the 36 States of the federation as well as Sports officers in security agencies.

“This is an opportunity that has brought all the Directors of Sports together and in the coming days, Commissioners for Sports from the various states will also be on ground,” Benjamin added.

While urging authorities to sustain their support for sports journalists nationwide, the SWAN President said that discussions at the technical session were already pointing in the right direction and expressed optimism about the outcome.

“All the issues being discussed, if properly implemented, will help to galvanise and improve our sporting sector going forward,” he said.

“At the end of this meeting, a communiqué will be issued capturing decisions taken and from what I have listened to so far, it is going to be good for the nation if implemented.”

The forum, after a brief opening ceremony, went into a prolonged and interactive technical session behind closed doors.