Inadequate Preparation: Bane of Sports Development – Ahmed
Kwara State
Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has identified inadequate preparation as a major
bane of sports development in the country.
Dr Ahmed who
gave this indication when the Minister of Sports and Youth Development,
Barrister Solomon Dalung visited him ahead of the National Youth Games in the
State, suggested that Nigeria should place emphasis on sports activities where
the country has core competences and areas of strength in other to win laurels
in major competitions.
“We should use
sports to drive us into nationhood because sports is a leveler and performance
base, irrespective of social and economic backgrounds of the performer”, the
governor advised.
Dr Ahmed noted
that sports development is crucial for youth development as sports enhance
mental disposition and physical capacities to cope with life.
The governor
said, the state government would introduce Inter Secondary School Competition
as part of efforts to rejuvenate sports in the State, adding that the Indoor
Sports Hall of the Kwara State stadium complex would be renovated to restore
its status as the hub of indoor sports in the country.
Speaking
earlier, the Minister said the National Youth Games, holding in Ilorin was
designed to promote sports development through discovery of talents that could
be nurtured for sporting excellence in the future.
According to
him, the National Youth Games was designed for young Nigerians below 17 years
of age in order to catch budding talents young.
Barrister
Dalung said through National Youth Games, Nigeria could halt the recycling of
elite athletes, which has been taking place in the last two decades.
The Minister
challenged states to direct their energies into sports development as sports
have potentials of dissuading youths from crime, as well as create vistas of
economic opportunities for youths.
Barr. Dalung
commended the Kwara State Government for its financial and logistics supports
towards the successful hosting of the National Youth Games in the State.