Date: 2013-11-23

GOVERNOR Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State and the Minister of Sports/ Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC) will Saturday lead top dignitaries to declare open the 6th National School Sports Festival in Ilorin.
Aside top government functionaries in Kwara Sate, the sports minister will also lead the federal government delegation to the championship.

The minister has been championing the resurgence of sports in Nigeria while the sports fiesta is another plus for the NSC boss.

With virtually most of the participating states already in Ilorin for the tournament, Anambra State has over 500 athletes while host – Kwara is expected to assemble the largest contingent for the tournament.

According to NSSF, over 6000 students from primary and secondary schools across the country are expected to compete in 17 scoring events at the sports fiesta.

With the host – Kwara expected to display the cultural heritage during the state, while the participating states will also use the opening ceremony to display their rich culture.

Defending champion, Cross River State will be aiming to defend its title while Niger State; a team that is yet to make it to the top spot at the tournament is targeting a good outing.

In addition, NSSF has promised to stage hitch-free games as all arrangement have been put in place to ensure that only bonafide and eligible athletes participate in the championship. The tournament is been sponsored by Sterling Bank.

According to the Secretary General of NSSF, Olabisi Joseph, the screening of athletes hold on Friday before the kick off of most of the events.

The NSSF scribe said that efforts have been put in place to curb cheating, while any team found culpable would be fined and banned from taking part in the competition.

“For us at NSSF, we are poised to stage a befitting games that will be without any hitch and one of the processes of achieving this is to ensure that we are strict with the screening and we are ready to punish any team found wanting,” she added.

Joseph, however, lauded the Kwara State government for accepting to host the tournament, while also acknowledging the enormous support the federation has been getting from NASCOM.