…athletes laud Adopt An Athlete campaign
The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has revealed that the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has accepted to renovate the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.
Dare who made this known while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday said the Adoption Campaign initiative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development was introduced for public and private individuals to develop the sports sector and invariably, the youth in Nigeria.
Dare further expressed his appreciation to El-Rufai for making a commitment to fix several important areas of the federal government owned 20,500 sitting capacity stadium.
He said, “Following our visit and inspection of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium and our meeting with Governor El-Rufai and the technical report sent to him from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, identifying key areas that need quick renovation and upgrade.
“The governor has written through its Ministry of Sports, Kaduna conveying to the Ministry that his government would fix the following; the main bowl pitch, the training pitches A and B, the players dressing rooms 1 and 2, the players entrance to the pitch, the main bowl terraces and the cover terrace, the public address system, the TV compound and three number port cabin for the TV port”.
“We are gaining ground. Abuja is secured, Kaduna is secured, Lagos is looking good and I think we are making progress and we are happy about it”, Dare concluded.
It will be recalled Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has accepted to renovate some sections of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Meanwhile, the Adopt An Athlete campaign initiated by the minister has been commended by some of the athletes who have benefited so far.
Speaking with journalists, 2018 Commonwealth and 2019 African champion, Tobi Amusan poured encomiums on the minister regarding his recent drive to take sports to the next level.
“To me, this is how to go about Sports Development. I want to thank him on behalf of other athletes who have been adopted. We will always do our best to make him proud.
“I thank God for this is happening now when we are preparing for the 2020 Olympics,” she said.
Also, wrestling champion, Odunayo Adekuroye said “a new Messiah has come to sports. I couldn’t believe my eyes on what I witnessed at that event.
“I see a passion in the eyes of the Minister. I see a man who is ready to take sports to the next level”.
“ I want to thank the Minister of Youth and Sports Development who put this initiative together and all who made this possible”, the athlete concluded.
