FG Insists National Sports Festival Will Continue despite shutdown threats by the Local Organizing Committee.

The Federal Government has insisted that the National Sports Festival will continue despite shutdown threats by the Local Organising Committee.

In a statement on Wednesday, Musa Ebomhiana, Edo 2020 project manager on media and publicity, had warned that the sporting events will be called off over the federal government’s refusal to provide the state government with funds.

“The Local Organising Committee, Edo2020 regrets to announce that it will end the games abruptly tomorrow, Thursday, April 8, 2021 for lack of funds.” 

“Rising from an emergency meeting this evening, the LOC says it has to take this hard decision due to lack of funds having expended its reserves to kick start the games.

“Regrettably, the FG is yet to redeem its pledge to support us as the host state financially for the cost of postponements. So, we are left with no option than to end the games at noon tomorrow,” the statement read.

But the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development said it was not aware of any officially documented move to shut down the games.

“The Ministry and the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) for the festival are 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,” a statement signed by Sports Ministry spokesman Ramon Balogun, said.

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

“For the records, the Edo State government due to the cost implications of postponements occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic requested financial assistance from the Federal government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development. The Ministry has since been at work to secure the financial assistance which it believes is being processed. The MYSD and EDSG are determined to deliver a successful National Sports Festival.”

The festival began on Tuesday after several postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic.