Edo ready to host National Sports Festival, dismisses reported plan to move Games to Abuja
EDO State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, who is also the chairman of the Local Organising Committee ( LOC) for the 20th National Sports Festival, has refuted reports that the sports tournament, tagged Edo 2020, will be moved to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
Shaibu, who was led by the Director of Facilities, Edo State Sports Commission, Victor Edokpayi, to inspect facilities for the sports festival, reassured Nigerians that the state was ready to host the Games, scheduled to begin on April 2, 2020.
Shaibu also visited Team Edo at the Samuel Ogbemudia
Stadium where the athletes were being tested and vaccinated against coronavirus ( COVID- 19) ahead of the Games opening.
He said: “The rumours that the Federal Ministry of Sports wants to take the games from Edo to Abuja is not true as the Minister and the Permanent Secretary have denied it.
“I spoke with the minister who said he didn’t release any statement of such, likewise the PS. Edo State is hosting for the love of the nation and national interest to help our athletes shape up to win at the Tokyo Olympics games.” Speaking on the state’s readiness to host the competition, he noted: “We are hopeful that the games will go on but only to the extent that we are funded. We are ready. We have gone round the facilities because we believe that we will be funded; that is why the competition equipment is being unveiled and installed. “The equipment for Edo 2020 are the latest sporting equipment and the type they will meet in the Tokyo Olympics, which is why the contingents will be camping in Edo. We are ready.”
He said the state has concluded vaccination of Edo athletes and they are now going through PCR screening for COVID- 19.