African Games: Minister Prioritises Quality Nutrition, Welfare For Nigerian Athletes
By Edwin Akwueh, Abuja.
As Team Nigeria resumes camping for the 2024 All African Games, the country’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, has charged officials and vendors serving the athletes to ensure quality in nutrition and welfare.
The African Games is scheduled to hold in Accra, Ghana, from March 8th – 23rd, 2024. The Ministry had earlier announced that camping will open in five different locations – Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Bayelsa, and Gombe.
Senator Enoh appealed to vendors not to undermine national efforts by attempting to put pecuniary gains ahead of national interests. He warned that the Ministry will spare no time in cutting ties with vendors who do not adhere to quality in its service to the athletes, as they prepare for the Games.
“I am appealing to you all not to sabotage the preparedness of our athletes because of profit-making,” the Sports Minister said. “I will make unannounced visits to the camp to personally see the standards in each camp. I know some vendors already have a relationship with the Ministry.”
“If we find out anyone cut corners in their job, it might lead to blacklisting such a person from our future engagements. I therefore appeal to everyone – I called this meeting because we don’t want complaints from camps about the quality of food and nutrition, or welfare of athletes.”
“Just like the AFCON that ended without issues and complaints, let’s make the next few weeks of camping go seamless,” the Minister added.
He mentioned that a win for the nation represents a win for all vendors and officials, thus the need for all hands to be on deck towards achieving success. Nigeria will participate in 25 sports, with 8 of them serving as Olympic qualifiers.
Since the inception of the Games, Nigeria has won a total of 1326 medals in 12 editions, which makes her the second most successful nation in the history of the African Games behind Egypt.
