The Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development has awarded the hosting rights for the seventh edition of the National Youth Games to Delta State.
The choice of Delta as hosts was reached at a meeting of stakeholders for the Games, which held on the sidelines of the recently concluded 21st National Sports Festival which was also hosted by Delta state, as contained in a press release signed by Mohammed Manga, Director, Press, and Public Relations, of the sports ministry.
The State has equally expressed its readiness to host the Games from February 8-18, 2023, as unanimously agreed by the stakeholders at a virtual meeting that took place on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Ismaila Abubakar, stated that the National Youth Games has since inception become a veritable ground for harvesting the huge talents that abound within the country.
“Many of the discovered athletes have been nurtured to elite level by the Ministry where several of them have been excelling at the international stage by posting podium performances for the country,” Abubakar said.
”Other objectives of the Games is to promote National Unity; curb age cheating in Sports and Youth restiveness as well as establish a standard programme for athletes’ succession.”
Ismaila assured that the Ministry is poised to ensure that the gains and objectives of the Youth Games are sustained hence, the Ministry’s determination to seek an alternative host venue for the National Youth Games.
The newly appointed Host State, Delta, he added, has indicated its interest to host the Games at the Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba.
