Edo State has dispelled the rumours that the hosting right for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged ‘Edo 2020’, has been taken away from the state.
Musa Ebomhiana, the Project Manager, Media and Communication Sub-Committee for the games, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Benin City.
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He stressed that not only would the state play host to the rest of the country from April 4 to April 14 but that the scheduled date remained sacrosanct.
“I can authoritatively tell you that Edo remains the host and the date remained as earlier announced, April 4 to April 14.
“It has been scheduled that states will start arriving for the festival from April 2.
“The LOC chairman, who happens to be the Deputy Governor of Edo, had a telephone conversation with the Minister of Youths, Sports and Social Development, Mr Sunday Dare, this morning on the rumour that the games may be taken to Abuja.
“The minister reaffirmed Edo’s hosting right and promised that the financial assistance made by the Federal Government will come.
“I can tell you that the state will receive this fund between now and tomorrow (Wednesday),” the minister was quoted as saying.
NAN also reports that recently a letter signed by Peter Nelson, the Secretary of the Main Organising Committee for the Sports Festival, titled: “SCHEDULED DATE FOR THE 20TH NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL” was sent to every association.
It read in part: “Arising from the above, I am directed to inform you that the 20th NSF is now scheduled for April 2-15, 2021.
“The details are: Opening of the Games Village – April 2-3, 2021; Opening Ceremony slated for April 4, 2021; the closing ceremony would come up on April 14, 2021, while the closing of the Games Village would be on April 15, 2021.”
It would be recalled that the festival had suffered several postponements in the past owing to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. (NAN)
