Youth & Sports Minister – Barr Solomon Dalung has announced that arrangement has been concluded for the esterblishment of a grassroots Soccer Tournament to be called President Buhari Unity Cup for youth in Plateau State.
Dalung made ths announcement in Jos yesterday while paying a surprise visit to the training ground of Amechi Football Academy.
An elated Minister explained that the proposed tourney is part of initiatives being put in place to promote peace in the plateau among the youth that were used as instigators and victims of the communal violence that recently plagued the State.
The Minister further explained that the Tournament which will enjoy private sponsorship of corporate brganisations is also structured as an empowerment vehicle for budding talents. According to him, both local and international scouts will be invited to visit the local governments where qualifiers will be organised before the grand finale at the State Capital to decide the champion.
He enjoined football players and enthusiasts in the state to embrace the new initiative with singleness of purpose and committment so that the Tournament can produce future Okochas, Enyemas and Kanus capable of bringing glory to themselves, their states and our nation.
He also enjoined the youth to shun destructive pastimes like drug addiction, alcoholism, cultism, thuggery and violence which he described as future destroyers.
Dalung also assured that the new initiative will also train new coaches as well so that our country will no longer suffer from the dearth of competent players and handlers in the future.
It will also be recalled that the Minister has been harping on the need to shift attention to grassroots sports development as a strategy of gainfully engaging our teeming youth and has announced that the Federal Government is considering taking advantage of the high altitude in the plateau to put up a sporting facility that will facilitate the training of long distance sportsmen and women as it is done in Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritra.
Tolu Makinde
Director(Press & Public Relations)
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