Nasarawa State Govt. pledges support for NIPOGA
NAN-S-14
NIPOGA
By Mohammed Baba Busu
Lafia, Feb. 22, 2017 (NAN) The Nasarawa State Government on Wednesday pledged to support the hosting of the 19th Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association (NIPOGA) by the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa.
The state Deputy Governor, Mr Silas Ali-Agara, gave the assurance while hosting the management of the Polytechnic in Lafia.
Ali-Agara commended the institution for securing the hosting right and urged it to win the games.
“Hosting the NIPOGA will, in long run, add value to what we are doing in the state,’’ he said.
The deputy governor remarked that whatever was happening in the state, “all of us will share the glory if it is successful game.
“As such, we will try our best to ensure that the institution hosts successful games’’.
Ali-Agara identified school games as catalyst for the development of young and future athletes for the nation.
He lauded the organisers for choosing the state to host the game.
The deputy governor pledged the state government’s readiness to support and facilitate the successful hosting of the games.
“Government will do everything possible to back the Polytechnic to win this year’s competition.’’
He also promised to support the organisers with more fund and logistics to make the game one of the best in the history of NIPOGA.
Earlier, Prof. Shettima Saidu, the Rector of the Polytechnic, who led the delegation, said that the games would attract many national and international investors to the state.
He, therefore, appealed for state government’s support.
Saidu, who was accompanied by the Executive Director of A3 Foundation, the marketers of the games, Amb Aisha Abubakar, commended the state government for the pace of work on facilities at the venues.
“Some of these facilities could be very expensive or peculiar in nature.
“The state government’s support will be highly appreciated in the area of providing these facilities,’’ Saidu said.
According to him, the games, which hold between April 26 and May 7, will attract more than 4,000 athletes for tracks and field events.
NIPOGA, as a sporting festival since inception, is one of the biggest fora that bring together students from all Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology across the country. (NAN)
BAB/AIB/IA
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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Idris Abdulrahman