Amos Adamu, a former Director-General of the defunct National Sports Commission (NSC), has thrown his weight behind the call for the declaration of `state of emergency’ in Nigerian sports.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung last week declared a state of emergency in the sport sector, following the country’s dismal performance at the Rio Olympics.
Dalung, after presenting a formal report to President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to restructure Nigerian sports, assured that the country would take decisive actions to reverse the dwindling fortune of the nation’s sports.
Adamu told NAN in an interview on Wednesday that the declaration of emergency in sports would attract the desired funding needed to further develop the sector.
“I think the minister was talking like an establishment man and if that is government policy, so be it.
“When I was there, anything the minister wants is what I will do and if the minister is talking of state of emergency, it means that government will put special fund to repair the facilities.
“I think with the declaration of state of emergency, government will pay attention to the things that need to be done,’’ Adamu said.
The former CAF and FIFA executive committee member said the call for a return of the NSC made no difference so long as the right things were done.
Adamu said what was paramount was for the country’s athletes to win laurels at national and international competitions irrespective of the structure in place.
“When I was there, it was ministry of sports today, NSC tomorrow, it keeps changing; all these things are semantics.
“The important thing is to do what needs to be done for sports to move forward.
“When the minister says something I believe he has done his homework and when there is call to bring back NSC, is it not the same people there that will do the work.
“When it was scrapped, is it not the same people that were still working there? So what is important is for the work to be done.
“If government decides to change the name NAN to NAON, will anybody say no?
“Besides, if the office is transferred, is it not all the workers that will move? Adamu asked.
