The chairman of Edo 2020 National Sports Festival Committee, Tonobok Okowa, has debunked reports that the festival would hold in October, stating only the Federal Government has the power to approve a date.
Okowa, who is the chairman of Delta Sports Commission, said that the date being circulated by a section of the media was a recommendation that came up after the committee reviewed the situation on ground with the Edo State Government.
“In the first place, we as a committee cannot fix a date for the National Sports Festival,it is the sole responsibility of the Sports Ministry after getting clearance from the relevant agencies handling the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He continued: “What Edo State Government did was to suggest tentative dates of October 25 and November 4 for the opening and closing ceremonies, which the Sports Ministry will have to look into. It is wrong for some people to go to town saying that we have fixed a date for Edo 2020 National Sports festival,’ Okowa stated.
The festival had suffered an initial postponement in March due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic worldwide and the Presidential Committee was set up by the Federal Government to see to the hosting of the biennial event.
