Delta State to host 7th National Youth Games in February

Delta State has been awarded the hosting rights for the 7th National Youth Games (NYG) by the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development (FMSYD).

Mohammed Manga, the Ministry’s Director of Press, disclosed in a statement released on Thursday that the choice of Delta was reached at a meeting of the Games stakeholders. He said the meeting was held on the sidelines of the recently-concluded National Sports Festival (NSF) in Asaba in December.

Manga quoted the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ismaila Abubakar, as saying the NYG 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.

“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, amongst others,” Abubakar said.

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The Permanent Secretary said the Ministry was ready to ensure that the gains and objectives of the Games were sustained.

”That is why the Ministry was determined to seek an alternative host venue for the event.

“Delta will now host the games at the Dennis Osadebey University Sports Complex in Asaba from 8 February to 18 February.

(NAN)