Sports minister relocates office to Abuja stadium

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Following a recent inspection of the MKO Abiola stadium, the newly appointed minister of sports development, John Enoh has relocated his office to the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Prior to the relocation, the Minister’s office was located at the Federal secretariat in Abuja where all other ministers of the Federation are equally camped.

This has been the practice in Nigeria for several decades where most government officials are camped at designations that may not be easily accessible from the facilities they are to take responsibility for.

Speaking on Thursday, the minister said the relocation will enable him to “keep a watchful eye” on the “90 percent of the departments of sports” inside the stadium.

According to him, his decision was informed by a recent tour of the stadium, which he undertook on his first day in office, adding that it helped him understand better, the present condition of the facility and intends to protect and preserve it as his primary essence in the APC-led administration.

“I did a tour of MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, and I insisted that instead of having my office at the Secretariat, my office as Sports Development minister has to be at the stadium,” Enoh said.

“I have taken that decision already, I have an assignment to make the ministry work, and we have to make it work. MKO Abiola Stadium is where we have 90 percent of the departments of sports.

“The stadium is where we have all the federations’ secretariats, athletes and footballers. For the purpose of coordination and to keep a watchful eye, it is imperative that my office is at the stadium.”

The minister added that he had “issued a memo to the permanent secretary that the remaining sports departments should be at the stadium”.

Enoh said the sports ministry will extend sports development to “those places where there are fewer opportunities”. He expressed readiness to see the spirit of sportsmanship experience a quantum leap in the country while ensuring that up to date modern equipments and facilities are readily available for all who are interested in sports especially in the MKO Abiola stadium in Abuja.

He said, “I want to see those talents from Ajegunle developed into elite sportsmen. I want to provide, like, a basketball court for those in the hinterland and others. A lot of times, the great boxers are not produced in the high brow areas but in the local environments,” he added.

“I want to provide these things and not just saying it, and at the end of my tenure, we want to count tangible things that have given us social inclusion, which will translate to sports development.”

John Owan Enoh is a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who served from 2015–2019.

He was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP up until May 2017 when he decamped to the ruling All progressive Congress, APC and contested for governorship position in Cross River State but lost to incumbent governor Ben Ayade.

He was appointed minister of Sports Development by President Bola Tinubu on 16 August 2023.