By Goodluck Ikiebe.
Director, Procurement Department, Mr Segun Oke Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar and an official of the Ministry.
As part of the preparations for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has developed a programme called GAPS (GATHER, ADJUST, PREPARE AND SUSTAIN) for Birmingham 2022.
GAPS is for emerging athletes and coaches from the Commonwealth. It aims to support the development of inclusive sport pathways, removing barriers to participation for people with disability and for women and girls to become actively involved in sports.
Development of coaches is fundamental, so is tackling many of the barriers and constraints that prevent participation.
The goal of GAPS is to offer emerging athletes and coaches from Commonwealth access to additional skills, knowledge and resources. This is driven by advancing education and supporting the development of inclusive sports pathways that promote positive social change in sport and communities.
In the light of the above, CGF and Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) have collaborated to give some qualified Para Sports athletes and coaches from 13 Commonwealth countries additional skills, knowledge and resources for preparations towards Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, of which Nigeria is a beneficiary.
A statement by the Director Press and Public Relations, Mohammed Manga, says the beneficiaries of this programme from Nigeria are from the following Sports Federations: Para Table Tennis – 5 Athletes and 1 Coach Para Powerlifting – 4 Athletes and 4 Coaches Para Athletics – 2 Athletes and 2 Coaches
“These Athletes and Coaches will be sponsored financially to participate in the programme that had already started since November/December 2021 and will last till July 2022 before the commencement of the Commonwealth Games”
The beneficiaries(athletes and officials) are as follows:Christiana Ikpeoyi Ifechukwu – AthleteMaimuna Habib – AthleteOgunkunle Isau Olatunji – AthleteKoleosho Ahmed – AthleteOlufemi Alabi – AthleteGift Mark Oyinyechi – AthleteEsther Ogechika Nworgu – AthleteEmwiobaiwi Uhunoma – AthleteKure Thomas – AthleteNwachukwu Goodness Chiemerie – AthleteChibuike Kennedy Ezeji – AthleteOdebode Sunday – CoachPius Asaba Idowu – CoachIbrahim Oyewele – CoachIhuarulam Jude Chinedu – CoachOyebola Oluwakemi – CoachAnaeto Patrick Uche – CoachDivine Toseju Jemirigbe – Coach
The statement notes that as part of the sponsorship, CGF will provide all the necessary logistical materials such as flight tickets, visas, accommodation, feeding and allowances to participate in the events scheduled to take place in South Africa, Dubai and Birmingham.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar has charged the staff of the Ministry to ensure full implementation of the procurement process in line with the Act.
Abubakar, who gave the charge in Abuja, when he declared open a One-day Procurement Workshop organised by the Procurement Department of his Ministry, stated that civil servants have the responsibility of ensuring the full implementation and execution of government policies, programmes and projects according to extant rules and regulations.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director, Procurement Department, Mr Segun Oke, stated that since his assumption of office 18 months ago, he noticed the inadequacy of Procurement staff as well as low capacity of non-procurement staff in the understanding of laws and regulations governing procurement process as provided in the Public Procurement Act (2007) and Financial Regulations.
With the support of the top management of the Ministry, as well as other relevant Departments, Mr. Oke said, his Department was able to educate and change the orientation of some of these non-procurement staff through dialogue and personal interaction.
