Thrilled by NMA Games, Amosun promises to upgrade MKO Abiola Stadium

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun has promised to upgrade the MKO Abiola Stadium to enable it attract local and international competitions to the state.Speaking at the just concluded Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Games, tagged Ogun 2018,’ Amosun, who welcomed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick to the arena, was particular about upgrading the stadium’s football pitch to make it good for international matches.

The fourth edition of the NMA Games featured competition in football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, badminton, chess, scrabble, and draughts.The governor noted that doctors were operating at a difficult period in the nation rendering great services despite the limited resources available for them to work with. He described the event as a welcome development, saying it is a good avenue to discover prodigious sports talents.

Earlier NMA President, Prof. Mike Ogirima told the governor, participants and other dignitaries that the association had identified the strategic need to address incidents of death among doctors, stating that this year alone they had lost 10 of their members.He said in Nigeria, doctors were generally stressed due to the poor ratio of health workers to the population and called on government at all level to upgrade hospitals in the country to end medical tourism.

Chairman, NMA National Sports Committee, Dr. Uche Ojinmah explained the major reason behind the games was to allow doctors practice what they preached, adding that the games provided a relaxed atmosphere for creation and sustenance of physical fitness and healthy rivalry off the hospital and academic terrain where comradeship could be forged and strengthened.

He revealed that for the first time in the history of the games, other health workers were allowed to participate, saying it was the first step in the push to create Nigerian Health Workers’ Games. Ojinmah urged all participants to obey the rules of the game and show courage, resilience, fair play and love.