Sports Minister seeks collaboration with Ministry of information
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan- Enoh has called for collaboration between his Ministry and that of Information and National Orientation in the coverage of sporting events in the country.
He stated this when he and members of his team paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi on Wednesday, May 2, 2024.
In his speech, Senator Enoh emphasised the significant role Sports play in the Nation as a unifier, noting that television and radio broadcasts are extremely fundamental to feeding the nation with information that will foster unity amongst the various interest groups in the country.
According to him during the last AFCON finals in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigerians all came together, regardless of tribe, religion, class or political affiliation to support the national team and cheer them to victory which shows the importance of
sports in cementing unity.
In order to forge a good collaboration between the Sports Ministry and the Ministry of Information, Enoh advocated the design of a calendar of upcoming sporting events such as the National Sports Festival to be hosted by Ogun State and the National Youth Games slated for Delta State as a guide for the public media organs of the Information Ministry to amplify and further broadcast them.
He lauded President Tinubu for creating a specific Ministry for Sports; saying the vision is in line with the significance of sports in attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In his response, the Minister of Information and National Orientation Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi commended Senator John Owan Enoh’s performance as Sports Minister since assumption of office noting that the concern of Nigerians on his appointment as Sports Minister have been quelled by his brilliant performance in the Ministry.
The Information Minister also stressed the administration’s commitment to harnessing the transformative power of sports to deepen unity and cohesion in the country with references to past sporting events.
Alhaji Idris Malagi believes that sports should be on the front burner of the government’s priorities because of its significant role in nation building and development.
On the request made by the Minister of Sports for more media exposure to sporting events in the country, Alhaji Malagi gave approval for the setting up of a committee to identify areas of collaboration between the two Ministries.
