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Tag: #John Owan Onor

  • Sports Minister Commits To Enhancing Football Scouting Regulations In Nigeria

    Sports Minister Commits To Enhancing Football Scouting Regulations In Nigeria

    The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has expressed his commitment to meticulously review a proposal aimed at regulating the scouting system within Nigeria’s sports landscape.

    The proposal was submitted by a delegation led by the National President of Prestige Football Academy, Uchendu Stephen Nwabara, during a meeting with the Minister in Abuja, on Tuesday.

    Acknowledging the critical role of scouting in nurturing and harnessing the nation’s sports potential, Senator John Owan Enoh stated that Nigeria’s huge talentpool makes it a destination of choice for scouts from all around the world.

    The Minister said the Ministry is concerned about some of the general practices in the sports ecosystem, as it is working to ensure ethical standards are imbibed, and also provide equitable opportunities for aspiring young talents to excel in sport.

    “Most people in the sector are concerned about the subject of the scouting process of our young men and women,” the Minister said. “When our sports men and women go out of the shores of Nigeria, and breakforth, the support they send to their families and the laurels that they win are of benefit to the country.”

    “However, the manner in which some of our sports men and women leave needs to be addressed. Sports in general being a universal matter, promoted globally, and a country as big as Nigeria with its population and talent, has become like a laboratory for various actors to come in and out.”

    Senator Enoh stated that his administration is deeply committed to fostering a conducive environment for the growth and development of sports in Nigeria. Scouting forms the bedrock of identifying and nurturing future sports stars and there is a need to recognize the value of an organized scouting system that fosters fairness, transparency, and professionalism.

    There is an urgent need to stop the exploitation of Nigerians, who are taken out of the country by scouts, agents and tied to slave contracts abroad. Nigeria will work to facilitate a process that integrates fair play, integrity, professionalism and equal opportunities for all sports talents, especially footballers.

    Leader of the delegation, Uchendu Stephen Nwabara expressed optimism about the Minister’s enthusiastic reception of their proposal.

    “We are delighted by the Minister’s commitment to thoroughly examine our recommendations. These reforms are pivotal in transforming the scouting landscape and ensuring that deserving talents receive the attention and opportunities they merit.”

    Senator Enoh said the Ministry will review the appropriateness of the proposal, as it remains resolute in its dedication to uplifting the ethics of scouting.

    SIGNED:

    The Media Office of the Honourable Minister of Sports Development.
    November 21, 2023.

  • Our Expectations Were High, Albeit The Performance Of The Super Eagles Against Lesotho Fell Short – Enoh

    Our Expectations Were High, Albeit The Performance Of The Super Eagles Against Lesotho Fell Short – Enoh

    On Thursday the 16th of November 2023 ,at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium , I joined sports loving Nigerians to watch and cheer the Super Eagles of Nigeria play against the Likuena” (Crocodiles) of Lesotho.

    A clean sheet and goals was not too much to expect from our National team given our FIFA ranking and pedigree in football,matched against the Lesotho team especially.
    I must say, that our expectations were high, albeit the performance of the Super Eagles against Lesotho fell short.

    The Government and football loving people of Nigeria take the qualification for the 2026 World Cup very seriously and want the Super Eagles to qualify.Having missed out on the 2022 world cup in Qatar ,qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is not negotiable.

    I urge the Nigeria Football Federation to look into and correct all the lapses observed in Thursdays match with the aim of putting in a much better performance in Rwanda on Sunday,the 19th of November 2023 against Zimbabwe.

    Furthermore, we understand that the qualifiers are a FIFA organized competition, and so the television broadcasting rights are in the World football governing body’s purview.Granted, the Ministry is taking appropriate steps in response to this situation.
    It is not good enough that Nigerians could not watch their National team play in their country. A repeat of same should be avoided and NFF will be expected to register Nigeria’s displeasure with the appropriate authority in FIFA.
    We apologize to Nigerians ,most of whom anticipated to watch the game on television.

    Moving on, I charge the Super Eagles of Nigeria to be more incisive for the rest of the qualifying series.
    Nigerians are all rooting for your success.

    Signed:

    Senator John Owan Enoh
    Honourable Minister of Sports Development.
    17-11-2023

  • The Ritual Of constituency Projects And Legislative representation: Why We Need A Rethink In Cross River North.

    The Ritual Of constituency Projects And Legislative representation: Why We Need A Rethink In Cross River North.

    By Agustine Aboh

    For weeks now the cyberspace, especially the social media space have been crowded with news of constituencies empowerments by of Representatives at the national assembly; Legor and Jari (being a norm).

    It must be noted that since the inception of our contemporary democracy over two decades ago, nothing or very little has changed in content and context of constituency projects and empowerments.

    Ranging from Car and Bike gifts to uncritical loyal foot soldiers and ass-kissers, to wrappers, blocks of six class rooms, toilets, solar streets lights that do not last beyond the day of commissioning, borehole, the regular Magi and salt and conditional cash gifts.

    These have been unchanged, and in the present age of liberal democracy and Fourth industrial revolution, Representatives in CRN still gifts us these benign items.

    Now, back home! Last week I saw Legor gifting Cars to his loyalists in Bekwarra and a Funny looking Obudu-ogoja taxi like Passat to Obudu. Obanliku was not included as usual. Instead, bikes were given to PDP Ward chairmen in Obanliku glorified by a self vilified HOA member in Obanliku.

    To cut the long story short, I think it’s time we begin to rethink what constituency projects and empowerments should be and hold our Representatives answerable.

    That’s right, but some greedy never do well loyalists will say we are wailing and seeking for cheap publicity – at least Google my name and see how far am know and reference across the globe.

    For Obanliku, I think we should begin the process of requesting what constituency projects and empowerments should get to us and our people that will make meaning to our desired quest for prosperity as a people well-neglected and self-injured.

    It won’t be a bad idea we ask Legor and who ever becomes the next senator to include in their 2021 constituency budgets such items like;

    1. A befitting Palace for our Paramount Ruler in Sankwala, Obanliku.

    2. Construction equipments like bulldozer, a payloader, tractor, and other such equipments that will help the local government to open access roads, control erosions and give succour to our people who can not afford to bring their produce to local markets. Since we all know the present state of slavering malnourishment of our Local government resources taken hostage by a family dynasty and Czar.

    3. Enhance Human capital development by giving responsible and reasonable scholarships.

    4. Work as committee members or chairman to help our unemployed graduates littering our villages as it’s done elsewhere.

    5. Provide our farmers with improved seeds and seedlings. And any other projects the communities through reliable needs assessment have presented.
    Let it be known that am not against settling of party loyalists but these shouldn’t be done at the expense of community development. It’s time we all know that politics and governance is all our collective business.

    In our constituency, Legor is not doing us any favors, let it be known that these are our monies.

    Thank God ICPC have started tracking constituency projects starting in CRS with those of Sen John Owan Eno. They’re coming and we’ll be here to furnish them any information they might need. And Legor should not be doing this car gifts alongside his unsaleable Senatorial Candidate, it speaks volumes of the context of his supposed constituency empowerments.

    I come in Peace! Shalom!!

    Long Live Cross River State
    Long Live Cross River North
    Long Live Obanliku, Obudu, Bekwarra Fed Constituency.
    Long Live Obanliku LGA.

    Augustine Aboh
    Geopolitics and Security Expert
    Nigerian Defense Academy, Kaduna.

    NB: The views expressed above are strictly that of the author and does not represent TheLumineNews.