Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare said it is his desire that the 2021 National Sports Festival takes place in Edo state next April.
According to a letter obtained by www.aclsports.com, the 20th National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020 will hold from April 2 to 14.
Dare said the National Sports Festival will be a factor to determine the performance of Nigeria athletes at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
He said the ministry of sports has received corporation from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19, Edo State Government, the Federal Ministry of Health and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Dare said, “Let me repeat myself, it is my greatest desire that the sports festival hold in the interest of Nigeria sports development. It is also going to be a great factor that will determine our performance at the Olympics in July.
“We have received corporation from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19, Edo State Government, the Federal Ministry of Health, the NCDC and I am certain that like we said during our zoom meeting in February, we will hold the sports festival in Edo which is our own Olympics.
Meanwhile, a letter addressed to states and signed by the Secretary of the Main Organising Committee of the NSF, Peter Nelson, and dated March 10, the sports festival will start on April 2 and end April 14.
The letter read, “Kindly recall the decision reached at the last virtual Extra-Ordinary Council Meeting held on Monday February 8, 2021 in which it was unanimously agreed that the 20th National Sports Festival should hold in the month of April 2021, while the actual dates are to be communicated to the 36 states and the FCT in due course.
“Arising from the above, I am directed to inform you that the 20th NSF is now scheduled for April 2-14, 2021.
“The details are as follows: i) Opening of Games Village: April 2-3, 2021; ii) Opening Ceremony – April 4, 2021; iii) Closing Ceremony April – 14, 2021; iv) Closing of Games Village – April 15, 2021,” the letter read in parts.
The festival, which was initially billed to hold between March 22 and April 1, 2020, had suffered several postponements due to COVID-19 and paucity of funds.
