By Femi Atolagbe
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The Minister for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Solomon Dalung, has hailed the economic impact of the 19th National Sports Festival on businesses at the stadium and its environs in Abuja.

Dalung told newsmen on Tuesday at the main bowl of the Abuja National Stadium that the political-economy of the festival was part of the reason the country needed the event.

The minister said he was having a mixed-feelings because he was happy that the sports festival has been revived; and was sad because three generations had been denied the opportunity to test their skills.

“You can feel the joy among the athletes, you can see the joy among the young ones.

“You can see hope that the future is here, so I think for me, one good thing I will be able to remember is that ability to be able to insist and have the festival revived.

“We have lost so much if you go outside here, the political-economy of the festival itself is something that the country needs for almost every turn of the season.

“People are making fortunes, there is buying and selling going on, businesses have picked up, sport businesses have returned, so I think for me, it’s mixed feelings.

“I am happy that we have revived it, I’m also in a sad mood that we have denied three generations the opportunity to test their talents,”he said.

The minister revealed that with the successes being recorded at the ongoing festival, his ministry has already received four applications from prospective hosts for the next edition.

He said he was working towards institutionalising the festival in which the ministry provides the policy, and the private sectors provides the fund.

“If you must do something in life, believe in it, once you have it done, people will join you, Nigerians are not good in fighting for something.

“But they are good at celebrating it, now that the festival has come back, there are so many willing hosts.

“If I had requested for a host before now, nobody would have indicated interest, we have already put a perfect arrangement, including a private sector partnership, and creating a multipurpose vehicle, incorporating a company that will drive the process.

“I am gradually trying to institutionalise the festival, the ministry maintain the policy, private sector provides the funding, that is what i will do,”he added.

On making Abuja a permanent host city for consistency, Dalung said that those clamouring for it were not wrong with their judgment due to past experience, but revealed that the ministry will be meticulous about the choice of the next host.

“We will have what we call a reserve clause in the agreement, in case of any signal of failure, we reclaim the right and bring it to Abuja,”he said.

The ongoing National Sports Festival which began on Dec.6 would come to an end on Dec. 16.