Ibadan — Thirteen years after going under, the Schools of Nursing and Midwifery Games (NISONMG) resurfaced in Ibadan on Tuesday with a promise from the Secretary and Registrar of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Mrs. O.A Olanipekun, that the games has come to stay.

But in spite of being the host, nursing and midwifery schools from Oyo State are not participating in the games due to the refusal of the state government to approve funds for their participation in the games. States in the South West - Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun - are all participating in the event

At the Liberty Stadium Ibadan, venue of the games, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) is in the early lead in track and field events.

In her address, Olanipekun, pledged the support of the council to the games while assuring all the participating athletes a better welfare packaged at subsequent tournaments.

"The council is proud to be associated with these games and we are quite aware of the hardship most of you are experiencing during this maiden edition, I can assure you that such will not repeat it self," said Olanipekun.

She added that all the prizes provided for the wining schools are items that will be useful for their common rooms.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Zonal Coordinator of NSC Zone 1, the organiser of the competition, Peter Nelson commended the encouraging gesture he received from nursing stakeholders in his efforts to resuscitate the games.

Nelson, however, claimed that the importance of sports cannot be over emphasised because to every individual sports play a vital role in promoting and development of an individuals' health.

"For the sports programmes of our youths and students to be meaningful and result-oriented, the facilities must be within their reach," he noted.

This year's edition according to the Zonal Coordinator will only involve track and field, football in male and female categories, table tennis and basketball.