The Nasarawa State government says it will reinvigorate sporting competitions in order to discover talents and provide platforms for athletes to excel in both national and international competitions.
Dr Emmanuel Akabe, the State’s Governor, stated this on Thursday in Lafia, when the executive members of the Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) visited him in his office.
According to the deputy governor, the Govenor Sule-led administration appreciates the importance of sports to the development of the state, hence the commitment to reinvigorate sporting competitions for the youths to realise their dreams through sports.
Akabe said that apart from curbing restiveness amongst the youth and ensuring healthy lives, sports had becoming a source of income with the capacity to turnaround the economic fortune of the state.
He said the state government, through the various ministries concerned would work to ensure that all obsolete sports facilities were replaced and put to optimum use.
He commended Gov. Sule for his foresight and commitment to sports, especially the willingness to invest and promote grassroots sports development.
The deputy dovernor promised to collaborate with SWAN towards promoting sports in the state.
He promised to support the sports writers with logistics and any other form of assistance that would help facilitate their work and welfare.
Earlier, Isa Mohammed, the SWAN Chairman in the state, said the visit was aimed at establishing a partnerhip with the state government toward sports development.
Mohammed appealed to the government to reintroduce sports competitions in schools as well as the governor’s cup, among others. (NAN)
