NSSF Pesident laments states’ unwillingness to sponsor school sports festival

The President of National School Sports Federation (NSSF), Ibrahim Mohammed, has decried the lack of interest by state governments to host the National School Sports Festival (NSSF).

Newsverge reports that the annual sports festival for students in primary and secondary schools was last held in Oturkpo, Benue in November 2014.

Mohammed told Newsverge in Awka on Sunday that efforts made to secure the approval of state governments which had agreed to host the subsequent editions met brick wall as the federation’s proposals were turned down.

He said that it was a known but unfortunate development in the federation that most states had abandoned school sports festival.

He noted that it was a trend that would negatively affect sports development and society if not addressed urgently.

“For three years now, every activity in the federation has been virtually grounded, it is unfortunate that it has been promise and fail and disappointments from our governors.

“Akwa Ibom agreed to host the 8th edition in 2015 and we have been visiting Uyo to see the government but has not succeeded; I have even gone to Delta but nobody is ready to host us.

“We do not require much, just venue, accommodation and logistics and they say they don’t have.

“And everyday these politicians hold rallies and other political propaganda events and spend much more on them, they refuse to sponsor sports because they feel it doesn’t benefit them politically.

“How can they stand and watch these young ones with the potential to rule their world of sports go undeveloped?

Mohammed called on both the APC-led Federal Government and the state governments to take interest in the development of the youth and sports.

He said that it was not a good omen that no edition of the school sports festival had held since 2015.