…Promises to construct befitting Football House in Lafia.
Governor of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, on Thursday, received the leadership of the state Football Association who were at the Government House, Lafia, on a familiarisation visit.
Sule, while congratulating the Salisu Galadima-led board of the state Football Association on his victory at last year’s poll held in Keffi Local Government Area also congratulated other elected officials into the Thirteen Local Government Areas of the state.
The governor commended the new leadership of the association for positively turning around footballing activities in the State.
He said, “Little did I know that Salisu Galadima knows so much about sports, because I have always identified sports only through Eche Amos. Every time I come across Eche, I know it is sport. But it looks like Salisu has overtaken Eche completely in sport.
“I am truly glad that it is during my tenure that we are having an FA Chairman who truly believes in football, in sports, and ready to commit his personal resources to ensure that sports development becomes a reality.
“I am even more delighted to hear the FA Chairman say he is inviting scouts from Marseille of France to Nasarawa State to scout for hidden football potentials, and I have no iota of doubt in my mind that those scouts will definitely find prospective Ronaldos and the rest of the great players you have ever known here.
“No doubt, we have abundant talents in Nasarawa State. What we lack is just the opportunity to develop those talents, but with the coming of the Salisu Galadima-led Board, Nasarawa State will be ahead of others because I love people with great and helpful initiatives, not those who continue to complain.”
While calling for a healthy working relationship between the State Football Association and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to return Nasarawa United to the elite domestic football league and transform football in the State and make everyone proud, the Governor assured the leadership of the State Football Association that he would meet its request of building a befitting Football House as part of his Administration’s commitment s is to ensure that the Lafia City Stadium is transformed into a global facility fitted with all the required amenities.
He then announced the donation of N5,000,000.00 to the Football Association as his contribution.
Earlier, Chairman of Nasarawa State Football Association and leader of delegation, Salisu Galadima (also known as Basira), had told the governor that the visit was to acquaint themselves with him and his administration and to appreciate him for his unalloyed support to the Sports Sector.
“Our visit is to specially appreciate Your Excellency for the support your administration has been giving to the Sports Sector in the state, particularly football, notably the upgrade of the Lafia City Stadium, providing funds for the hosting of the Nigeria National League 2023/24 curtain raiser between Nasarawa United versus Zamfara United here in Lafia, creating an enabling environment for the State Football Normalisation Committee to conduct a seamless election, both at the Local and State levels respectively,”he said.
He enumerated areas his leadership has swung into action to redeem the lost glory of football in the State.
Galadima added, “We assumed Office at a point football activities were at their lowest ebb, but we are here to assure you that we are battle ready to revive footballing activities and restore the lost glory.
“Already, my administration has begun the facilitation of the training of our local coaches to certify them to carry out their duties at any level of club and international competitions. We are equally doing same with our indigenous referees.
“There are plans to organise the Maiden Governor Abdullahi Sule Peace and Unity Cup in each of the Thirteen Local Government Areas of the State, the staging of the Governor’s Cup later in the year as well as the Chairman’s Cup across the Local Government Areas cum Inter-Tertiary Institution’s and Emir’s Cup competitions to boost footballing activities in the State, expose our budding talents to prospective club sides, and entrench development in our State.”
The FA Chairman pledged to work with the State’s Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to actualize the mandate of the Governor Sule administration in making Nasarawa State the haven for sports in Nigeria.
The State’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Jafaru Ango, Permanent Secretary, Chief Barr. Isaac Danladi, Special Adviser, Government House, Prince Ibrahim Sani, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports Development, Hamza Ibrahim Moyi, Football Referees and Coaches and Supporters’ Clubs of both Nasarawa United FC and Nasarawa Amazons FC and members of the media attended the event.
Highpoint of the event was presentation of souvenirs by the Board of the Football Association to the governor.
Eche Amos (Fellow, CBS),
PRO,
Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
