The Minister of Sports Development Senator John Owan Enoh has called on the Public Servants in the country to imbibe and cultivate the culture of physical fitness and health consciousness towards ensuring a productive and healthy nation.

Director of Press and Public Relations Mohammed Manga in a statement quoted the monister to have given the charge on Saturday when he flagged off  the October Edition of the monthly keep-fit aerobics exercise in preparation for the 2023 Federal Public Service Games (FEPSGA) at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

He stated that the Ministry of Sports Development was ready to collaborate and partner with any organisation or body to develop programmes and initiatives that will not only encourage sports development in the country especially in such areas as promotion of physical activity, raise awareness about the importance of fitness, and disseminate valuable health education information to all segments of the  society with a view to improving their health status for optimal service delivery, but also, to provide our teeming youth with job  opportunities so as to alleviate poverty amongst them with a view to  having a safe and peaceful environment for Nigerians.

He observed that a healthy nation is a productive nation, adding that by enhancing fitness and health consciousness amongst the Public Servants we can contribute to the overall well-being of the citizens. Through effective collaboration between the Ministry and FEPSGA, we can come up with initiatives that target both the male and female  adults in the Public Service that will encourage them to cultivate a culture of physical fitness and health consciousness, he said

He added that physical fitness and health education are integral  components of a thriving and prosperous nation, and therefore, FEPSGA as a coordinating body in this area
should  play a leading role in promoting it.

The Minister explained further that one of the vital elements that Nigerians as a people continually miss in the sports sector is the  physical fitness component, which he said is one element that is an aspect that we ignore. It incorporates the generality of people into the sports ecosystem

He indicated that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration is interested in this, which is why the President out of his wisdom created a Ministry of Sports Development to holistically drive this aspect of human development in line  with International standards.

The Minister noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) some years ago focused on the benefits of fitness and physical activity in its guide to all nations. Its benefits to healthy living are enormous. One of the tasks of FEPSGA therefore, is to come out with advocacy towards encouraging the entire Federal Government workforce to  imbibe the culture of physical activity, health consciousness  and ideas with a view to adding value to the lives of an average Nigerian by ensuring efficient service delivery in line with the policy thrust of the present administration.*, he stressed.

While commending  the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation under the stewardship of Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan and FEPSGA  for initiating and sustaining the programmes  even in the face of the current economic  challenges, Senator Owan Enoh called on the workers to take advantage of the programme to be mentally and physically fit for optimal  performance in their respective offices and ease stress as recommended by the World Health  Organisation (WHO)

Senator Owan Enoh, who was decorated as the Captain of the 2023 FEPSGA aerobics exercise
added that, in 2002,  WHO declared the need to imbibe the culture of  physical and mental fitness and called on policy and programme makers across the world to encourage physical fitness in the policy programmes of government.

While pledging to flag off the  opening ceremony of 2023 FEPSGA Games, the Minister informed that  physical fitness will not only increase the physical and mental state of an individual at the optimal, but also the  productive capacity of the Federal Public Service in Nigeria in line with global realities.

In her remarks during the exercise, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Dr Folasade  Yemi-Esan, thanked the Honourable Minister of Sports Development Senator John Owan Enoh for accepting and coming out to flag off the October Edition of the monthly keep fit Aerobics Excercise in preparation for the 2023 Federal Public Service Games.

Represented by the
Director Occupational Hazard and Safety Department in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Dr Mrs Comfort Adeosun, Dr Yemi-Esan assured the workers that this year’s pillar which is number six, aims at improving the proposition and well being of the Federal Public Servants in the country.

She stated that an able workforce will be a productive workforce, adding that *if you are not healthy, your performance will be low, thus affecting efficient service delivery to the citizenry, Yemi-Esan said.

Also, the former Minister of Youth and Sports Development Barrister Solomon Dalung while addressing the workers during the exercise advised them to be resolute and not to loose hope in the present administration  but continue to provide unflinching support to the new leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its resolve to  move the country forward.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health Ms Daju
Kachollom also assured that the Ministry of Health is committed to the realization of a healthy workforce that will efficiently drive the policies, programmes and initiatives of the Federal Government for the betterment of Nigerians

Earlier in his opening remarks,
President Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA)
Mr. Aloku Amebi stated that the monthly keep-fit aerobics exercise is one of the cardinal programmes of FEPSGA aimed at improving physical fitness and general well-being of all cadres in the Public Service.

He stated further that this month’s edition marks the end of the keep-fit aerobics exercise for the year in view of the preparation for the 2023 Annual Public Service Games which is billed to hold in December 2023