By Goodluck Ikiebe
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the return of Ahmadu Bello Stadium to the Kaduna State Government and thus put the stadium in the full custody of the state.
The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, disclosed this on Friday in his office in Abuja when he received the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.
He stated the Federal Government and state government would sign a Memorandum of Understanding on January 27, 2023 to formerly hand over the stadium and ensure more development of sporting infrastructure in the area as well as encourage more participation of the country’s teeming youth in sporting activities.
“With the formal handover of the Stadium to the State, Kaduna will now be a muster point for the 19 Northern States to showcase their budding talents as sports in the Zone is now being given a new lease of life”, Dare stated.
He explained that apart from the signing of the MoU, a novelty match would be held between the Governor and the Minister teams, to motivate young footballers, who have chosen to develop the game as a career
Dare applauded the governor for leading the trajectory of development in the country through various programmes, projects and initiatives, adding that under the leadership of Mallam El-Rufai, Kaduna has become both the center of political articulation, developmental growth as well as the economic hub for northern political discuss.
The Sports Minister stated further that the Adopt-a-Facility initiative of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration through the Sports and Youth Development Ministry was aimed at leveraging on private investors to renovate and maintain sporting infrastructure across the country.
“When we started the initiative, we approached two individuals from the private sector; Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief Adebutu Kessington. The third person we went to was the Governor of Kaduna State, who directed his Commissioner of Sports Development to look into all the aspects of renovation needed at Ahmadu Bello Stadium and undertake the necessary renovation, and that was the starting point”, he said.
Dare urged other state governors without a Federal Government owned sporting infrastructure and Stadium to invest in sporting facilities and athletes, stressing that the move will engage about 65 per cent of Nigerian youth who will in no small measure contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
In his remarks, the Governor Nasir El-Rufai thanked the Minister and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular, for taking the critical decision of giving Kaduna State the opportunity to be the custodian of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, which he described as a national asset capable of generating huge investments and revenue due to its location in the river bank of the country.
The governor gave an assurance that subsequently, the stadium will not only be upgraded to a world class standard but will also serve as a developer of key economic and social opportunities for the State and budding athletes.
He added that the state has had a history of producing football talents for the country like Rasheed Yekini, Daniel Amokachi and Tijani Babangida, who have done the nation proud at various international competitions.
Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, thanked the governor for finding time to visit the Ministry and for his passion for the development of sports in the country.
He assured el-Rufai that the ministry will continue to ensure full and proper implementation of the policies, programmes and projects of government in line with its mandate.
