Controversy trails Edo Sports festival date

…Facilities ready, only three states fully set

By Ben Alaiya

With the February 14 start of the National Sports festival drawing closer there are fears that the games may again be shifted going by the stringent condition rolled out by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-`19, headed by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha.

The PTF has said there should be no gathering of more than 50 people at any event. But with 36 states and FCT Abuja expected at the festival that runs from February 14-28, it is most unlikely that the organisers can meet the PTF conditions.

Only on Wednesday, the Main Organising Committee for the Festival (MOC), headed by Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, reduced the number of team sports from six to three in a desperate bid to meet PTF regulations but that may still not be enough for the festival to hold.

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Edo state Deputy Governor, RT. Hon Philip Shaibu, who is also the Chairman o the Local Organising Committee(LOC), has continued to insist that the festival will go on as scheduled after several postponement largely due to Covid-19.

There are indications that most states of the federation are not even ready or the festival in terms of finance. At the last count only three states are said have been fully ready or the games.

The states are host, Edo, Delta and Lagos. Others have been complaining that they lack the resources to camp and take atheletes to Edo for the festival. Only time will tell if the festival will actually kick-off by February 14.