Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello has called on spirited individual, corporate organizations to invest in sport in order to complement government effort in creating jobs for youth through sport activities.
Governor Bello made the call in Aggasa his country home during the maiden edition of Agassa 2020 football/volleyball community shield tournament organised and sponsored by NEWMAP.
The Governor who was represented by the Director General Government House Lokoja , Dr Shuaibu Usman Oricha, said sport apart from its unification factor is capable of generating gainful employment opportunities to youth around the state, urging well meaning individuals and corporate organizations in the state to invest in sport activities in order to discover talents that can represent the state at national sport tournament.
“This tournament is the first of in this community. The tournament was meant to get talents in the volley ball and football that can represent the state . From the tournament not less than ten talents can be discovered in the volley ball and several talents also abound in the football teams.
“Sport activities globally has been sources of unity among nations. During sport activities there is no segregation, no tribal or religious sentiment , people speak with one voice and that is what we want to achieve in communities across the state” Governor Bello said.
He urged youth to take advantage of the enabling environment created by the present administration to enhance their socio-economic upliftment and self -reliant .
Earlier , the state project Coordinator of NEWMAP, Barrister Ladi Jatto in her speech said a far reaching decision was taken to organized and fund the sporting tournaments as part of the organization’s cooperate social responsibility to the communities where the agency works.
She gave every assurance that similar tournament will be extended to Kogi East and Kogi West senatorial districts adding that the overriding essence of the tournament was to unlock hidden talents in the youths and expose them to national and international Sport market.
At the end of the tournament Late Sunday Jatto Volleyball team beat the Late Hawawu Bello team to pick the gold medal in a keenly contested competition while Babanba United FC trashed
Ohinoyi Anare Warrior FC two zero to emerged the winner in the football tournament .
