Sports enthusiasts laud scrapping of Sports Ministry

Some sports enthusiasts have lauded President Bola Tinubu’s decision to scrap the Ministry of Sports Development and replace it with the National Sports Commission (NSC)

The president also went ahead to appointment Shehu Dikko, a former vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the chairman of NSC.

The enthusiasts who spoke with the newsmen in separate interviews on Thursday, said they hope the decision would bring new structures and policies to bear on sports development.

Azez Oladipo, the President, Nigeria Rugby Football Federation, said that the changes made by the presidency would help reshape sports development in the country.

He said that it would bring a fresh start and way forward in the scheme of things, especially developing the youths by enacting programmes and policies that would transform sports.

“We need to bring his (Dikko) wealth of experience gathered over the years to enact policies that would bring about a fresh start and the way forward.

“Many of the sporting federations are struggling and facing some problems which he can help to fix.

“One would appreciate this decision considering the poor outing we recorded at the last Olympic Games in Paris.

“The National Sports Commission Chairman must realise that sports can go a long way to bail Nigeria out of the current socio-economic challenges.

“He should be prepared to use sports as a catalyst to solve problems, creating more job opportunities for youths to thrive,”Oladipo said.

He said that the Rug y Football Federation was prepared to work with him to ensure a lasting solution to the challenges been faced by sports and sportsmen in the country.

Also speaking, President, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Rafiu Ladipo said he was confident that the changes would bring positive development.

He urged Dikko to be prepared to work with technocrats in decision making and in changing the economy of sports in Nigeria.

“The decision to dissolve the Ministry of Sports Development and allow the National Sports Commission to take effect had always been on the cards.

“The sports commission is where a lot of coaches, referees and sports men can be developed quickly and be transformed to impact on sports development.

“If you look back on when we use to have the sports commission and compare it with the ministry of sports, you would understand the disparities in their achievements.

“We give him our full support from the boxing federation and are ready to work with him to move the nation forward and back to the good days,”Ladipo said.