Yakubu
Governor, Bar. Simon Lalong has pledged his commitment to revived the long forgotten annual sport festival to unify and promote talents among people of his state.
He stated that, his administration must began to build millionaire sports complex in the state considering it as a lucrative business in the 21th century with the huge potential of talented sport men and women who have been neglected in the state for long.
Lalong disclosed this at his investiture as the GRAND Patron of the sport writers association of Nigeria(SWAN) Plateau state chapter as they climax with their week long programmes at the Eliel Center in Jos the state capital.
According to him, “every sport events in the state at all level especially the annual sport festival in the state would be revive.
“This is because it used to serve as a unifying factor in the state and has place Plateau state on the map of history in the country.
“We shall begin to discover talents in the grass roots in other to make them millionaires in the state as well”.
He added that the state is in dare need of peace and would explore all avenues to ensure that lasting peace prevail in the state to guarantee the growth of economic and social activities known in the state which can equally add to the state’s revenue generation.
The chairman of the occasion and Management Committee Chairman of Pankshin Local Government Council Mr Steve Jings stressed that, as ALGON chairman the forum has map out plan to kick start sport competition in all the 17 LGAs.
In a paper presented by the General Manager of Precious FM Lafia, Musa Abdullahi. Title: Sport Writer as a catalyst for development, Prospect and challenges.
Abdullahi said, a the sport journalist is someone who play the sport more than even the player with his pen or his voice on commentary, which bring sport information to the door step of the public. They equally unit the people with their pen or voice and can as well destroy a nation.
He maintained that sport remained one big job opportunities among many nations of the world in the 21th century and serve as a unifying factor in the world.
Adding that sport cannot strive in an environment where government failed to create a level playing grounds for both the administration of sports as well the players.
The guest speaker tasks the state government to intensify efforts in bringing back Plateau state on the track record of sport activities in Nigeria.
“Plateau state has been known as the hub of marathon runners that raise international heroes in the country.
“for the first time for long, sport writers in Plateau state are been heard on sport writing business in the entire northern region of this country, I must thank you for resuscitating it back”.
According to him, sport writers are always been confronted with a lot of challenges like ownership, censorship, conflicts of interest, mobility and the welfare of sports writers in the country.
Adding that with the modern day social media, it has become a major problem to the sport writers and that call for more hard work in proven professionalism and seeking more knowledge in at list a particular sport field in the country.
The Chairman, Plateau State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalist(NUJ), Mr. Yakubu Taddy thanks the Governor for being media friendly.
And stress that governance is all about connecting with the people, adding that the approach embarked upon by the Governor would enable him received first hand information and the yearning of the people.
He call on the him to explore all forms of feedback mechanism which would enable him know something going on in the state which sometime people closed to him may not want him to know about on the aspirations of the citizens in the state.
The NUJ Chairman urged him to run an inconclusive governance in the state, as part of effort by the state government on the sustainability of peace in the state,
He said sport has only been romance at the surface for the pass years, but as someone been part of sport activities in the state, he is optimistic that the problem of unemployment in the state can be tackle through sports if necessary resources are been properly channeled.
According to him, ” each of the LGAs can start with a team of 30 persons and the council can pay them at list N10 thousand Naira monthly and people would do it because they play this at various communities without somebody appreciating them.
He firmly suggest that, “a place like Pankshin LGA can be map out as an athletic area where athletes can always holds their international competition in the state”.
This he said, the state would draw the attention of International competition and would connect talents on the Plateau with the outside world. “I would gladly remain happy, seeing Plateau United and the Golf Rangers back during your time”.
The state Chairman of SWAN. Mr Thadeous Yilmen plead with the Governor to look with kind interest and create a sport commission in the state which would enable the growth of sport activities without much bureaucracy of administrative problems as always been faced with.
He equally call on Governor Lalong to come to the rescued of the Aisha Mana Orphanage home as been visited by the sport writers during their week long programmes to donate some items which the home lack clinic and vehicle that can always convey any of the sick abandoned children brought to the home to the hospital, only with the help of a nearby tricycle owner.
The SWAN national chairman Mallam Saidu Abubakar while investing on the Governor as the Grand Patron of Sport Writers Association(SWAN) in the state urged Governor Lalong to encourage the activities of sport as well the sport writers in projecting the good image of Plateau state in retaining its lost glory.
