National Sports Commission director of youth development, Alhasan Yakmut has dismissed insinuations that the National Schools Sports Festival, and the forth coming National Youth Games were a duplication of efforts.

There have been suggestions by certain Nigerian sports officials that the two events be merged to streamline expenses and also give the young athletes a breathing space since both competitions were two weeks apart.

The National School Sports festival ended on Saturday in Ilorin, Kwara State with Cross River dominating the event. Starting from December 5, some of these athletes will be heading for Abuja for the maiden National Youth Games.

However, Mr. Yakmut put up a convincing argument that both events were crucial to the efforts by the NSC to reinvent sports development especially from the grassroots. He added that the President, Goodluck Jonathan was very keen to see the sector booming and that was why he approved N16m for the school sports festival for it to go on without hitches.

"What we are doing is strategic. I am aware that people have been questioning the rationale of having the two competitions in quick succession.

"But I must state that the School Sports festival is essentially for under-15 athletes. The National Youth Games is for Under-17 athletes.

"It is only the events we don't have in the National Youth Games that are open to under-17 at the school sports. Permit me to explain that these two events are like a nursery for us; this is because we are looking at the African Youth Championships and the Junior Olympics.

"This is why we are partnering with the Schools Sports Federation to guarantee a flow of youth talents every year. President Jonathan helped the schools sports with N16m and this is the first time in a long while this kind of gesture will be happening. The government is really serious about reviving our grassroots sports," stated Mr. Yakmut, a former national volleyball player.