FG not aware of any threat from Edo govt to stop sports festival –Ministry

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has said that it is unaware of any plans or threat by the Edo State Government to shut down the sports festival as there has been no official meeting or communication that relayed such information.

Recall that the state deputy governor has threatened that the state would close the ongoing national sports festival, as the federal government had been unresponsive to calls for financial assistance to continue the games.

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has clarified that the 20th National Sports Festival, Edo 2020, is going on as planned with competitions going on as scheduled.

Mr Ramon Balogun, Assistant Director Press in the ministry, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, April 8, in Benin.

This assurance is coming on the heels of threat by the state government and LOC of the Festival to shutdown the competition on Thursday, if they do not get the promised financial assistance from the Federal Government.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that an emergency meeting of the festival’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) headed by the Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu held on Wednesday where the threat was issued.

Musa Ebomhiana, Project Manager with the Media and Communications Sub-Committee of the LOC said the decision was necessitated by Federal Government’s refusal to fulfill a promise.

“You can quote me, that we just finished from an emergency meeting of the LOC (Wednesday), and as I speak with you we have decided to shut down the festival by 12 noon tomorrow (Thursday).

“The decision was arrived at because the Federal Government has reneged on its promise to assist the state with funds.

“Because of that, we are closing the festival,” Ebomhiana said.

READ ALSO: Edo Govt threatens to shut down Sports Festival

However, the Sports Ministry insisted that the festival will continue according to plan while the challenges raised are resolved.

“The Ministry and the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) for the festival are unaware of any plans or threat by the Edo Government to shut down the sports festival as there has been no official meeting or communication that relayed such information.

“The Honorable Minister, Permanent Secretary and Directors are on ground in Benin City where the Festival is holding.

“It is expected that the Edo State Government would formally invite the Ministry for a meeting should any urgency exist around the National Sports Festival or communicate officially with the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) for the festival. The Ministry has no such communication,” Balogun said.

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development further explained that that the funds to support the state government is still being processed and will soon be ready.

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