The Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Bukola Olopade, has revealed that to lower the expenses of organizing the annual National Sports Festival, they plan to decrease the usual number of 15,000 athletes to 7000.
He mentioned that the number of officials from the participating states will also be reduced to save on costs. The DG addressed journalists in Calabar on Thursday as the week-long National Council on Sports approaches its conclusion.
He also mentioned that the cuts in the number of participants and officials will apply to other youth and intermediate games in the future.
“Our goal is to significantly reduce the funding for the National Sports Festival so that even the least affluent states can host the Festival and provide opportunities for their children.”
Olopade expressed that they aim to establish a sports system that, in the next four to five years, will focus on production rather than consumption. “This is the direction we are pursuing,” he emphasized.