By Goodluck Ikiebe.
The President – in -Office of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 2 and Minister of Youth and Sports Development of Nigeria, Mr Sunday Dare, has called on all West African Countries to support Ghana and Senegal in the hosting of the African Games and Youth Olympic Games holding in Accra, 2023 and Dakar, 2026.
The President -in-Office made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the 3rd Session of the African Union Sports Council Region 2, Council of Ministers’ Bureau Meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Yola, he stated that, it was a golden opportunity for West Africa to be given the hosting rights for these 2 World Class Games and therefore stressed the need for all countries within the region to join hands with them to ensure that the games record huge successes.
“The glory is not for their countries alone but for the entire African Continent, hence we in West Africa should rise up and support our own Regional Brothers to ensure that these 2 countries make us proud by showcasing World Class Games far beyond expectations, to the surprise of all”, he said
According to him, the 3rd Session of the AUSC, Region 2 of Ministers’ Bureau meeting is expected to promote exchange of ideas by creating an avenue for brainstorming, with a view to ratifying recommendations sent in by regional experts for the development of sports.
Mr Dare added that the Council of Ministers’ Bureau will be objective in granting approvals to the resolutions to bring about lasting peace, unity, progress as well as socio-economic development of Africa and ECOWAS countries through Sports.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and Chairman Committee of Experts of African Union Sports Council (AUSC), Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, stated that the Committee of Experts of AUSC have met for two days to deliberate on the Draft Agenda presented by the Secretariat and have come up with the recommendations for consideration by the Honourable Ministers.
Represented by the Director, Federation Elite Athletes Department, Dr. Simon Ebhojaiye, he added that Ghana and Senegal were granted hosting rights for both games after bidding for it at the last edition of the African Games and Youth Olympic Games which held in Buenos Aires 2018 and Morocco 2019.
