By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
The Speaker Niger State House of Assembly (NSHA), Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji has pledged to 'invest a lot' towards discovering hidden talents at the grassroots level that will represent the state and Nigeria at the International level in different sports and football in particular.
The Speaker made the promise at the formal inauguration of the maiden, Speaker's inter Constituency football Cup competition which took place at the Usman Jikantoro House of 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 inter Constituency grassroots football talent hunt, the first of it's kind scheduled to kick-off on the 19th May, 2025, 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.
Chairman of the NSFA, Comrade Yusuf Ahmed had earlier told the gathering that the footbal 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.
While commending the Speaker for giving a listening ear to his proposals for the inter constituent grassroots football competition, Yusuf expressed appreciation to the House Commiittee on Sports and other key stakeholders for being supportive to actualizing set objectives.
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 the sports sector. NNL.
