Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said it is time for him to move on as his job as minister of the sector is done.
Dare in a recent interview said the youths in Nigeria and the country’s sports sector should be bracing up for a new minister, or administrative pointman.
“My job is done as sports minister; I have put in my best and I am ready to move on,” Dare said.
“By the time I’m gone, nobody would say again that the sports ministry is a child’s play. Rather, Sports in Nigeria will from now on, be seen as a big business.
“One of the highpoints of my tenure was the reclassification of Sports as business and the enactment of the Sports Industry Policy (SIP) which of course, is a major achievement.”
The Minister added that he will also be remembered for some transformative initiatives like, Adopt-an-Athlete and Adopt-a-Pitch, programmes, which has helped immensely in discovering and improving talents and rehabilitating Infrastructures in the country.
The improved Welfare policy for elite athletes in particular, saw Team Nigeria track and field stars like Oluwatobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Blessing Oborodudu achieve historic podium successes at the Olympic Games in Japan, World Athletics Championships in Eugene Oregon USA, and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
On the other hand, the Main Bowl and Practice pitch 1 of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, National Stadium in Surulere Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo Stadium Ibadan, Daura Mini Stadium in Katsina state, got befitting rehabilitation after being adopted by some well meaning individuals and organisations.