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African Games

NIGERIA’S SPORTS MINISTER, SUNDAY DARE PROMISES ATHLETES’ SUSTENANCE FUND

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, RABAT, MOROCCO

Just one week on the saddle, Nigeria’s new Sports Minister has promised a holistic reform in the sector that unites all Nigerians.

To this end, he said the welfare of athletes would be the major focus of his administration. Sworn in as Nigeria’s 35th minister in charge of sports on Wednesday August 21st, a week later, he was in Rabat to join the competing Team Nigeria at the African Games.

“I landed here (Rabat) at 10.30 in the morning, and by 1pm I was at the weightlifting arena from where I moved round to table tennis, athletics and later to football”, Dare said while addressing the Nigerian contingent at the Games Village on Thursday night.

He was there to oversee the payment of allowances to the athletes. He increased the allowances earlier announced to the athletes.

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“We will witness a new infusion of quality leadership when it comes to sports development…and that starts from now”, the minister remarked.

Continuing, he said: “I will be working with people at the ministry, the federations, our ambassadors – the veterans, and we will ensure that the welfare of the athletes comes first.

“We are committed to changing the narratives in welfare of athletes. I am going to champion the Athletes Sustenance Fund. It will be a revolving fund that will keep our athletes on stipends all year round.

“We are committed to changing the narratives in welfare of athletes.

“You don’t have to wait till time of championships before you get bonuses and allowances”, the minister promised.  

He remarked that his administration would be a departure on previous ones as he would focus more on human capital development.

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“I am committed to changing the narratives about the welfare of our athletes”, he stated further.

Dare congratulated the athletes and their coaches and urged them to focus more challenging Olympic Games holding next year.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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African Games

BREAKING! Accra 2023 African Games Chieftain is dead

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Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, who superintended the 13th African Games held in Accra Ghana in February has died.

He was the Chief Operating Officer of the Accra 2023  Local Organising Committee (LOC).

According to sources in Ghana, Dr. Owusu-Ansah was a sports administrator and coach, and thus left behind, a significant legacy in the world of sports.

Dr Owusu-Ansah, a former Chief Executive of the National Sports Authority (NSA), was widely regarded as an encyclopaedia of sports knowledge.

Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Owusu-Ansah, a former national chief athletics coach, authored the best-selling book “Principles of Abundant Living.”

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He played a pivotal role in establishing the Department of Sports Studies at the College of Education at the University of Ghana. Additionally, he served as the Director of the Sports Directorate at the University of Ghana, Legon.

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African Games

ASFU mourns African Games 2023 chief executive, Owusu-Ansah  

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The Africa Students Football Union (ASFU) has expressed condolences over the passing of a  patron of the union, Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, who served as the COO of the just concluded 13th Africa Games held in Ghana.

Dr. Owusu-Ansah’s death was announced on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

According to a release by the executive secretary of the union, Femi Abioye, Owusu-Ansah until his death contributed immensely to sports development on the continent and the world at large.

He left an indelible impact on the lives of students-athletes coupled with sports administration across Africa countries.

The ASFU’s President, Prof. Oluwaseun Omotayo, who was shocked at the news of the demise of Dr. Owusu-Ansah described the deceased as a pillar, saying his departure has left a great vacuum in sports management.

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He relished the deceased contribution and unwavering dedication to ASFU, saying the Union would miss the deceased.

“We will miss Dr. Owusu-Ansah, whose contribution to sports, knew no bounds. He was always ready to serve. He helped build the Union and was pivotal to the Union programmes. We will surely miss him,” he said.

He extended the Union condolences to all those affected by this loss, praying God grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

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African Games

A milestone as Egypt becomes the first country to get 100 gold medals in African Games

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A milestone as Egypt becomes the first country to get 100 gold medals in African Games

As the curtain is drawn on the 13th African Games in Egypt, the traditional overall winners, have this time hit a milestone.

They have become the first to hit a 100 gold medal mark in the 59 year history of the games.

As at Saturday morning, they have amassed 101 gold medals, 54 more than that of the second placed Nigeria

The biggest star of the Egyptian team  is swimmer Marwan Elkamash, who won five gold medals in the men’s 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m and 4x200m relays, all in freestyle.

But medal haul is still short that that of his compatriot, Faten Afifi who fished out seven gold medals from the pool.

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