Ganduje Decries The Poor Funding of NLO Clubs, Advocates For Economic Diversification Through Sports
By Abdulgafar Oladimeji
The immediate past governor of Kano state , Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has called on public and private sector business operators to embark on massive investments in grass root sports development programmes, as a tool to empower Nigerian youths and diversify the economy .
The former governor, who is the grand patron of Ganduje Babes fc , said that, the development of young athletes, provision of adequate and quality sports infrastructure, alongside the major sponsorships of grass root sports events are amongst the fore approach through which Nigeria’s human and capital development agenda can be further achieved .
Speaking when he received the players and officials of the Nationwide League One, NLO side, Gandujiyya Babes, , who paid him a courtesy visit , Ganduje thanked the management of the club for their persistence and consistency in running the affairs of the club, since one decade of its inception till date .
He decry the austerity pattern that had recently trailed the disbursement of support funds to amateurs football clubs in Kano, reassuring NLO clubs in the state, that with the latest political realignments in the state, NLO clubs would now witness a new regime in terms of monetary and morale support to clubs that are affiliated to NLO Kano Forum.
He lamented that, since he left office as the executive governor of the state, the forum was deprived of the banal annual support funds and interventions funding that were in the past been disbursed to the clubs to ensure they carry on with their activities without disruptions to their calendar.
Ganduje admitted that , he is aware of the constraints presently confronting NLO clubs that are domicile in the state, stating that with the new political marriage that has brought he and the incumbent Kano state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf together , Ganduje pledged that he would intervene to make sure the situation is reversed, this he said is to help breath back life into the activities of NLO football clubs operating in the state.
He then appealed to operators in the public and private sectors of the economy to invest more into grass root sports promotion and developments programmes .
He pointed out that the global sports sector is the fastest grown economy ,saying that in Kano and Nigeria at large , the grass root sports sector deserves massive commercial and social investments in tandem with the Millenium Development Goals, MDG and the Social Development Goals, SDG.
He said that , under his tenure as the executive governor of the state, huge resources were invested in the sector with the motive to help K ano youths to pursue and realize their sports aspirations, stating that, hope is not lost, sine he harbors the confidence in the reliable commitment and vigor of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to pursue any project that will impact on the lives of Kano youths , assuring that better days await grass roots sports activities in the state.
The chairman, Ganduje Babes FC, ibrahim Usman Arzai applaud the former governor for his support to the club, since its creation 10 years ago, adding that also Ganduje’s close confidant , comrade Mohammed Garba, who had always provided solid grounds for the club to survive through tough times by rendering financial support to the club.
He said the club was created to help recruit youths from all the 44 local governments of the state with the motive to empower them, disclosing that plans for the club to embark on an awareness tour of the 44 local governments In to sensitise the youths on the new sports agenda of governor Abba Kabir Yusif.
He disclosed that hundreds of Kano youths have benefited from the developments initiative progarmmes that were implemented under the aegis of Gandujiyya Babes fc.
He then presented the newly recruited head coach of the club, Muhammad Inuwa Baba to the grand patron.
