By Our Correspondent

The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, PTF has given a formal approval for the staging of the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival after the host state met all the stipulated health protocol.

However, the federal government is yet to release fund two months after it promised to help Edo State fund the festival.

The festival is due to start on Friday

In a letter dated March 30, 2021 and signed by Dr Assad Hassan to the Minister of Youth and sports Development Sunday Dare it noted that due to the adequate preparatory engagements on covid-19 Protocol between Edo State, Centre For Disease Control and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency towards safe conduct of the Sports Festival, “I have been directed to convey the approval of the PTF for the 2020 National sports Festival to proceed as scheduled from April 2nd – 14th.”

The PTF further commended the Minister of Youth and sports Development for taking the bold, difficult but necessary step of postponing the Festival severally due to the spike in the spread of the pandemic.

The Festival was earlier billed to take place last year but was postponed following the outbreak of Covid-19 which led to national lockdown.

There is still doubts about whether or not the festival will hold as scheduled with Edo State staying its readiness to host over 8, 000 athletes from the 36 states in the country and the FCT.

The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shuaibu over the weekend said the state is yet to recieved the promises funding for the festival from the federal government.