Nigeria's Sports Minister Sunday Dare
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Commrade Sunday Dare has said there was a need to create an appropriate synergy between the private sector and the government to improve the development of sport in Nigeria.
Comrade Dare made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the Geogojih Foundation training more than 100 children on how to play handball.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that the event was organized in conjunction with the Nigerian Handball Federation (NHF) at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
It was used as one of the activities to celebrate Children’s Day 2021.
Comrade Dare, who was represented by John Joshua-Akanji, his special media assistant, noted that the event was on the agenda of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
“This is a good initiative from the organizers, the Geogojih Foundation, to train children in handball to celebrate and mark Children’s Day”.
“They (the children) are the hope and the future of this great country. They must be prepared from an early age so that they have the state of mind necessary for the development of sport”.
“The ministry wishes the children a happy feast. They need to be encouraged from an early age so that they can be properly prepared for the future. Without these children, there is no future for this country, ”he said.
Sam Ocheho, the president of the NHF, said he was happy to see children playing handball.
He stressed that this gives good assurance to keep the game alive for the future.
“I want to see children playing handball on the road every time I travel from Lagos to Abuja, then to Kogi, I see children playing handball on the side of the road like you always see them playing football,” he said. declared the president of the NHF.
Lami Ahmed, founder of the “Lift Up Care” Foundation (LUCAF), a non-governmental organization (NGO), said that sport helps children develop mentally.
“Our organization is 15 years old now and we focus on youth and sport. Sport is one of the ways we use to bring young people together”.
“Sport increases their ability to reason. It is a means of development for children”.
“In this era of enormous unemployment, training these children offers them an alternative commitment as they grow up”.
“We have decided to support sport and handball mainly because it is a game close to our hearts, while young people should be motivated and encouraged to play handball,” she said.
(NAN)