Poised to boost effective cooperation among staff of the Federal Ministry of Education and agencies under it, the Minister of State for Education, Rt Hon Goodluck Nanah Opiah, has asked workers to use sports as another binding force of ensuring peaceful coexistence in their relationships.
The Minister said this during his speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the 3rd Edition of the Annual Federal Education Sector Games on Tuesday 21st Feb, 2023 at the Nassarawa State University, Campus Keffi, Nassarwa State.
According to the Minister who was the Guest of Honour and declared the event tagged “FEDUGAM KEFFI 2022/23” open, the purpose of the game is to serve as “bonding force and not to create disharmony or disaffection among participating agencies/athletes and games officials”
While urging them to imbibe the spirit of Fair-play in the course of participation, he opined that the essence of the sports fiesta is to cultivate further unity and cohesion among the workers of ministry and allied agencies under it.
“As you are aware, the FEDUGAM, is the customized sporting programme exclusively for employees of all agencies of Federal Ministry of Education and the main ministry. It was introduced in 2017 with the main objective of promoting and fostering unity, synergy, friendship and comradeship among the workforce of the Federal Ministry of Education and its agencies”
Speaking further on the essence of the games, the Minister who was received on arrival by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Andrew David Adejo and other Directors, Heads of agencies under the education sector, said that what participants will gain from the sports events will enhance their mental alertness, well being as well as improve healthy living and physical fitness of the workforce through amateur competitive sporting activities within the sector.
He said that based on the foregoing, the Ministry is considering making the annual sports fiesta more elaborate by way of introducing other sporting programs ahead of the Annual FEDUGAM and will also create events or programmes specially for the Chief Executives of Agencies and other top hierarchy of the Ministry.
The Minister used the opportunity to call on Chief Executives of the Agencies to do more to encourage and ensure greater participation in subsequent editions including attraction of corporate sponsorship to boost the horizon of the sports events.
While commending the Federal Ministry of Education and partners for the innovative initiatives of embarking on the sporting fiesta, the Minister appreciated the vital support of the Vice Chancellor of the Nassarawa State University for approving the use of the University sporting facilities for the games.
The Minister accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Directors, heads of other agencies under the ministry witnessed the match past session.
List of events to be competed for includes male football, male and female scrabble, male and female chess, male and female Ayoo, male and female draught and male and female badminton.
Others are tennis, basketball, volleyball, handball and long jump another for male and female.
Under athletics, male and female staff shall compete for 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters and 100/4 relay race.
