The National Council on Sports (NCS) has endorsed the introduction of the National Open Sports Festival and the National Youth Games, which it believes would help the country regain its place among the elite countries in world sports.

And to drive the competitions, the NCS has set up a 12-man committee to work out the modalities for the organisation and management of the events.

Rising from its 19th session on Thursday in Ilorin, the NCS disclosed that the National Open Sports Festival and the National Youth Games Committee would comprise a representative of the National Sports Commission, as Chairman; six states’ Directors of Sports, each representing a Geo-Political Zone; and representatives of Sports Stakeholders (Chairman of Committee of Directors of Sports, President, NAPHER-SD, Representatives of the NOC, Nigerian School Sports Federation and Military/Para-Military).

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the NCS noted the three Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of Sports in Nigeria as derived from the Sports Thematic Group of the Vision 20:2020. These include the improvement of quality of life for the entire citizenry, development of the sports sector to a world-class level and the provision of regulatory and administrative services for sports.

It enjoined States’ Sports Councils/Commissions/Ministries to adapt the KPIs to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the Sports Sector.

The NCS believes the National Open Sports Festival and/or the National Youth Games would help in the development of infrastructure, job and wealth creation, revenue generation and tourism, rise in profile of host city, political Instrument and national patriotism and public awareness.

It directed the National Sports Commission (NSC) to “present a memorandum to the Council of States to acquaint states’ governors and the Minister of the FCT with these benefits and encourage them to express interest in hosting these games.

According to the communiqué, the “Council noted that the Board of National Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM) has been reconstituted to make it more efficient and effective in developing schools sports in the country,” adding that the board is charged with strengthening school sports, enhancing talent identification, developing a sustainable programming structure for community and school sports, establishing effective private sector participation; and also to collaborate and partner with key stakeholders.

On the forthcoming federations’ elections, the NCS affirmed that the dates for elections into the boards of non-concessioned federations would begin at the zones on Tuesday, leading to the national polls on May 14 and the inauguration of the various boards on  May 17 in Abuja.

The council also noted that, in accordance with the recommendation of the FEC Committee, the NSC has commenced the process to concession Federal Government stadia in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and Bauchi, with Abuja and Lagos Stadia as a pilot scheme.