Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Wednesday inaugurated the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) scheduled to hold in Edo between March 20 and April 20, 2020.
The governor, while inaugurating the committee at the Government House, Benin, charged the members to organise the game in a way that would attract sponsors.
Obaseki said that the festival would have about 15,000 athletes and team officials in attendance and was big enough to attract sponsorship from private corporations.
“We are appealing to private corporations within and outside the country to leverage on the game for the promotion of their goods and services.
“This is also as a way of promoting thier social corporate responsibility of giving back to the society,” he said.
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He said the sport festival would serve as a catalyst for youth engagement in Edo, boost the economy, fast-track infrastructural development, promote sports and position the state as a tourism destination.
The governor said further, “when we host the game next year, it will boost the socioeconomic value of the state.”
Obaseki noted that the state government was committed to organising a world class competition, hence the selection of persons with integrity and experience to serve as members of the LOC.
He urged the members to put in hard work, commitment and dedication in the task ahead of them as it was an enormous one.
Chairman of the Committee, who is also the state Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, expressed willingness of the members to serve in the committee.
Shaibu, represented by the Chairman of the Edo Sports Commission, Godwin Dudu- Orumen, also a member of the committee, thanked the governor for having confidence in them.
He said that with the collaboration of the members of the LOC, all challenges would be surmounted. (NAN)
