By ORKULA SHAAGEE, Abuja –
Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has described the Sports Performance Reward Fund (SPRF) as “a well-intentioned, well packaged initiative that is worthy of praise.”
Senator Enoh made the comment when the Board of Trustees of the SPRF paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
He said the SPRF “will fill a major vacuum – the nexus between performance , incentives and rewards – that has dogged Nigeria’s sports for years,” adding, “the growth of the sports sector will thrive much better in the hands of the private sector.
“The feel and nudge I am getting from the Presidency is to get the private sector to invest more in sports and to take the front seat in driving the growth of sports in Nigeria – essentially, to put sports in the hands of the private sector and if there is one group that I need to court and work with, that body is the SPRF. You will have the full support of the government.”
The Minister who was described as “amiable and thorough” by the compere further said: ‘ I am very impressed by the standing of persons who have come together to form this body, one of them (Mrs Ifueko Omogui – Okauru – Vice President Finance of the SPRF) I had worked with when I was chairman of the finance committee of Senate. These are people who will not have anything to do with any organisation except the transparency threshold is topnotch and the processes that will ensure its sustainability are firmly in place.
“Finally, I have no doubt that the rewards in place will fire and motivate Nigeria’s sporting youth to excel in competitions at all levels.” the Minister said.
Senator Owan Enoh’s remarks followed a brief presentation by the President of the SPRF, Engr/Dr Ahmadu Musa Kida who said two of the major aims of the SPRF were to institutionalise a sure reward that will be there for generations of Nigerian youth and motivate them to put in the hard work and sacrifice to excel on the global stage and secondly, to attract and motivate the private sector to invest in sports – on potential sports super stars and facilities – for profit.
Musa Kida also said the SPRF aims to raise “in the first instance, the sum of ten billion Naira that will be available for rewards to generations of sports men and women who finish on the podium at the Olympics, Commonwealth, All Africa Games and major World championships.
The SPRF President said the Fund plans to reward an Olympic gold with N10 million, Silver N7.5 million and Bronze N5 million. A Commonwealth gold will attract N5 million, silver N3 million and bronze N2 million while the All Africa Games and major World Championships will attract the same reward of N3 million for gold, N2 million for silver and N1 Million for bronze.
The SPRF later held a world media conference at the HFIA Gardens and Event Centre in Garki- Abuja.
The members of the Board of Trustees of the SPRF are: President – Engr/Dr Ahmadu Musa KIda, Vice President National and Government Affairs – Henry Odein Ajumogobia SAN, OFR, Vice President Finance – Mrs Ifueko Omogui-Okauru OFR, Vice President Diaspora – Prof. Wale Sulaiman MD, Phd, CON and Chief Tony Akiotu.
Others are; Dr Onye Godfrey Achilihu, Arc./Dr Joe Adom Kyaagba, Kanu Nwankwo CON, Chioma Ajunwa MON, Yusuf Datti, Mrs Patricia Sulaiman Msc, APNIA – Deputy Executive Secretary and Godwin Kienka – Executive Secretary.
Engr Kida said the SPRF was expecting donations from individuals and the public and private sectors – donations which he revealed have already started coming in and could be seen by any interested persons and parties on the website. Payments in the major currencies, he also said, could be made directly on the website https://sprf.com.ng/
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