Niger Assembly Speaker make case for grassroots sports development in the country.
From :- Our Correspondent.
The speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly Rt Hon Abdulmalik Sarkindaji has made a strong case for grassroots sports development in the country, saying that it is the only panacea to the growth of sports in the country.
The speaker also said that sports is the greatest employer of labour as it has now gone beyond mere recreational activities to foreign exchange earnings.
The speaker spoke in Minna when he received in his office, the executive members of the state Football Association led by it’s Chairman and executive member of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Comrade Ahmed Yusuf (Fresh).
The state FA executive members were in the speaker’s office to seek for his approval and support for the year’s Niger State Speakers football competition among the 27 state Constituencies.
The 10th edition of the Speaker’s football competition is expected to take place between 27th April and 10th March 2024 at Kontagora, the headquarters of Kontagora local government area of the state with all the 27 Constituencies participating.
Sarkindaji said investment in sports development is an investment in youths development, adding that “sports did not only bring about harmonious and peaceful coexistence amongst the people but an avenue to reduce the growing unemployment among the youths in the country.
He therefore appeal to government at all levels, individuals and cooperate organizations to take deliberate efforts towards investing in sports development especially in the area of facilities in other to enhance the development of sports in the country.
In addition to this, Sarkindaji said investment in sports development will go along way in addressing most challenges facing the country and therefore become very necessary for government at all levels to pay special attention to development of sports.
According to him, investment in sports will go along way in addressing the security challenges facing the country, stressing that “if we invest in sports we will have succeeded in addressing about 50 percent of our security challenges in this country”.
He commended the state governor Rt Hon Umar Mohammed Bago for taken deliberate steps towards providing a world class sporting facilities across the state, beginning with the renovation and upgrading of the abandoned Bako Kontagora memorial stadium complex.
This he pointed out was the determination of the administration to create an environment where youths especially the athletes can thrive and achieve their full potentials.
Earlier the Chairman of the state FA and board member NFF Ahmed Yusuf (Fresh) told his host that the essence of the speaker’s annual football competition is not all about winning medals and trophies but to discover new talents and enhance the growth of the game of football at the grassroots.
The FA Chairman said sports has now become a multi-billion ventures all over the world, and therefore there is the need for government to invest in it.
