By Joy Odor
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has directed States where the tenure of the Executive Committees have expired, to conduct elections on or before March 31, 2021.
Some of the states include Cross River, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Gombe, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger and Benue.
In a communiqué issued at the end of an Expanded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the SWAN on Friday in Abuja also endorsed five key areas for the application of the FIFA Relief Fund given to it through the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in line with the spelt out guidelines.
The five key areas include; Welfare to members, capacity building for members, Secretariat project, payment of Secretariat staff and operating cost.
The communiqué read in parts, “ NEC approves that the National Secretariat utilize the land given to SWAN, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to build a permanent secretariat for the Association.
“NEC applauds the collaborative initiative of the Vice President, North West, Idris Malikawa with the British Council to enable members acquire diploma and post graduate diploma in journalism and urges the National Secretariat to adopt the model as part of its capacity building programmes.
“NEC expresses doubt over the January 3 to 18, 2021 dates for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) announced by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and urges the Ministry, Edo State Government and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 to harmonize on a suitable date for the Festival.
“Following appeals from respected Nigerians and critical stakeholders, NEC extends a hand of fellowship to misinformed sports journalists willing to return to SWAN and urges them to register through the national platform provided for such.
“NEC observed one minute silence in memories of veteran sports journalists Bisi Lawrence (BizLaw), Muyiwa Daniel, Henrietta Ukigwe and others who passed on recently,” the communique concluded.
Members of the Communique Drafting Committee include’ Duro Ikhazuagbe, (Chairman), Victoria Taduwokai, (Secretary) and Alambo Datonye, (Member
