Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung has criticized the government’s decision to scrap the Ministry of Sports, describing it as a “catastrophe.”

On Wednesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a cabinet reshuffle, which included the dissolution of the Sports Ministry and demotion of Sen. John Owan Enoh.

Enoh, who was appointed in August 2023, has now been reassigned as Minister of State for Trade and Investment.

As part of the reshuffle, the government introduced the National Sports Commission, with former NFF vice president Shehu Dikko as its Chairman.

“Both Structures Should Coexist”

Speaking exclusively with Brila.net, Dalung, who served as Minister of Youth and Sports (2015 -2019), argued that the Department’s dissolution was wrong.

President Bola Tinubu with Sen. John Enoh. Photo | X

“The NSC could have functioned alongside the Sports Ministry. Both administrative bodies are essential and need each other to thrive,” Dalung argues.

“It’s also a necessary component, which will have to be part of the sports architecture. So you don’t need to scrap one.

“The National Sports Commission is a necessary component of the sports architecture that is the professional arm that will recruit professionals.

“They ensure the growth and the development of professionalism in sports. The ministry is the political leadership, the political head of that architecture because sports is both business and diplomacy.”

Dalung questioned the logic behind the decision:

“Why haven’t they scrapped other ministries, like health or finance which also requires professional management? This is a lack of understanding of Nigeria’s sports architecture.”

Sen. John Owan Enoh meeting with NFF Officials. Photo | X

“Scrapping the sports ministry is what we call administrative hemorrhage; It’s not only a mistake it is a catastrophe.”

He explained that the Sports Ministry plays a unique role, not just domestically but also on the global stage.

“The NSC can only exists at the level of sub nationals, but the minister is a political head of sports, and represents diplomacy at the global space.

“In Nigeria, the DG heads the Ministry’s professional arm. He deals with professionals because he too is a professional. But you cannot dispose of one and think the other will function well,” he concluded.

The National Sports Commission was previously disbanded in 2015, and replaced with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

Since then, many stakeholders have advocated for a return to the old structure, arguing that sports development should be managed by technocrats rather than politicians.

With the reintroduction of the NSC, it remains to be seen how this decision will affect sports governance in Nigeria moving forward.