The National Council on Sports (NCS) in a meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Friday endorsed December 3rd to 18th for the 20th National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020 which was earlier scheduled for March 22 to April 1, was postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak to hold in Benin City, Edo State.
The NCS, Chaired by the sports minister, Mr Sunday Dare, also comprises all commissioners of sports or their equivalent from the 36 states of the federation and the secretary in charge of sports in the Federal Capital Territory, also assured that all the guiding protocols of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID – 19 will be fully implemented.
The Minister in a communique after the meeting stated that “The virtual meeting held earlier this year unanimously agreed to host the festival this year. The Committee of Experts set up during the virtual meeting made specific recommendations regarding the successful organisation of the 20th National Sports Festival. It has become imperative to tinker with the modus operandi of the festival.”
Dare averred that the required infrastructure has been achieved as confirmed by the National Assembly’s inspection visit to the state.
The Deputy Governor, Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, who also attended the NCS meeting, said the state was ready to host the festival, adding that the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Sierra Leone on November 13 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin would be used to assess their preparations for the festival.
“It is indeed heart-warming that the long-awaited NSF is holding this year 2020 as jointly approved the National Council on Sports, today in Asaba,” Shaibu stated.
The council fixed December 3rd for the opening of the games village. The first phase of arrival will be December 3-4, 2020 while the opening ceremony will be done on December 5.
Competition days phase 1, comes up Dec. 6-10, break and arrivals for 2nd phase come up Friday, December 11.
Competition days for phase 2 will be done from Dec 12-16, the closing ceremony is scheduled for December 17 while the closure of Games Village will be done on December 18.
