NAN-H-9
Sports
By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki, Feb. 8, 2017 (NAN) The Ebonyi Government on Wednesday in Abakaliki applauded the support of President Muhammadu Buhari to sports development.
Gov. Dave Umahi made the commendation when he received officials of the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) who paid him a courtesy visit.
Umahi, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Eric Kelechi-Igwe, described Buhari as a sports lover and enthusiast who had contributed in both grassroots and National sports development.
He offered prayers for speedy recovery of the President to enable him resume his official duties.
The officials were in Ebonyi to inaugurate and present sports kits and equipment it donated to public primary schools in Ebonyi .
The governor who described sports as an indispensable force in promoting national unity, development of the mental, social, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the individual, commended the fund for investing in grassroots sports development.
He said the intervention would assist the state to harness and harvest sports talents, stressing that the initiative would deepen sports development in the state.
“First and foremost let me on behalf of the government and people of Ebonyi commend Mr President and Commander – in- Chief for his love and support for sports development in Nigeria.
“It is only a leader who has love for development of sports that can give approval for the investment of such huge fund to procure sports equipment for use in primary schools.
“Sports is a great unifier and hence it’s role in social and economic engineering cannot be over emphasised.
“Through this intervention in our sports sector, we will be able to catch them young, develop their talents and make them worthy ambassadors of the state and Nigeria at large.
“We commend the NLTF for the noble initiative and appreciate you for choosing Ebonyi as one of the benefitting States, ” Umahi said.
Earlier, the leader of the team, Mrs Amina Mohammed, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government (OSFG), applauded Umahi for his sterling leadship quality and development of the state.
Mohammed said that the team was in Abakaliki to inaugurate and present for use sports equipment procured by the NLTF.
She said that the Fund reorganised the place, role and importance of sports in enhancing national unity and development hence the need to invest in the grassroots sports development.
She said that it was the desire of the Federal Government to enhance the development of the sports sector and to institute a platform for harnessing on time sporting talents.
The permanent secretary said that over 49 public primary schools drawn from the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi would benefit from the donation.
She appealed to government to ensure that the sporting items were timely distributed to the benefitting primary schools.
“We commend your Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi for your sterling leadership quality and developmental stride that has transformed the state.
“We are in the state to officially inaugurate and present for use sports kits and equipment procured by the Fund and being distributed to selected public primary schools.
“The initiative is aimed at promoting grassroots sports development in the country ; and we have no doubt that the equipment will assist the state to develop and deepen the grassroots sports,” Mohammed said.
The Executive Secretary of the NLTF, Mr Abu Gumel, thanked the government and people of Ebonyi for the warn reception accorded the team, and urged for effective use of the sporting equipment.
“We are happy for the warm hospitality you accorded the team. We are indeed grateful to you, the government and people of the state.
“We are appealing that every effort should be made to ensure that the items to be distributed are safeguarded from vandalism or theft and ensure that they got to the benefitting schools.
“It is our firm believe that the initiative will further uplift and awaken interest of the school pupils in sports participation, ” Gumel said.
NAN also reports that sporting items for distribution, included facilities and kits for football, basketball, volleyball, badminton, Judo, Long tennis among others.
ODO/DS/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha