From Rashidat Suleiman,Minna
The Speaker Niger State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji has promised to provide what it takes towards discovering hidden talents at the grassroots level that will represent the state and Nigeria at the International level in different sports, football to be precise.
The Speaker disclosed this at the formal inauguration of the maiden, Speaker’s inter Constituency football Cup competition which took place on Tuesday at the Assembly complex, Minna.
Describing sports as not only a unifying force in any heterogeneous society but a vocation that is capable of keeping jobless youths cum future leaders focused in charting a positive course for themselves, the Speaker said he is in full support of the Niger State Football Association (NSFA) for initiating the competition.
With the first inter Constituency grassroots football talent hunt scheduled to kick-off on the 19th of may , the Speaker said he is optimistic that the fortunes of a good number of youths across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state will change for the better.
Speaking at the event Chairman of the NSFA, Comrade Yusuf Ahmed said that the football competition, the 1st under the present dispensation and the 17th in th history of Niger state is part of strategies to, ‘catch them young’.
Apart from bringing up hidden talents, Comrade Yusuf argued that the Speaker’s football cup competition will provide rare opportunity to the less privileged in rural areas to showcase their talents.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner Youth and Sports development, Alhaji Yahaya Ibrahim expressed appreciation to the Speaker for the full backing of the initiative he said will bring about speedy growth and development of sports generally.