The federal ministry of youths has dismissed plan of the Edo state government to shutdown the ongoing National Sports Festival holding in Benin City the Edo state capital.
The games were declared open on Tuesday, April 6 and were expected to run for the next 14 days but surprisingly the Edo state government announced on Wednesday night that it could not continue with the events citing funding challenge.
The local organising committee after an emergency meeting on Wednesday night said it was taken the hard decision following the federal government unwillingness to assist the state in funding the games.
Local media director, Ebomhiana Musa, in a press statement, said the games would be shutdown at 12 noon on Thursday.
However, barely 12 hours after the pronouncement by the Edo state government, the federal ministry of sports and youths sprang into action, dismissing the decision of the local organising committee, saying the events will still continue.
Assistant director of press, federal ministry of youths, disagreed with the Edo state government. The ministry said the sports are ongoing in Benin and will not be stopped.
The ministry said the main organising committee is not aware of the decision of the Edo state government to shutdown the festival. It added that no official communication has been made to that effect.
He said the Edo state government should formally invite the ministry for a meeting should any urgency arise. The statement added that the federal ministry of youths is at work to secure the funding requested by the Edo state government
