By Saidu Abubakar
The National Sports Commission Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko joined the Federal Capital Territory Minister, His Excellency Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike at the flag-off ceremony for the construction of a Multi-event Sports Center, Kafe District of the FCT being developed by the FCT Administration.
The duo were in total agreement that, for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR’s vision for sports beyond participation and tournaments to be achieved while being a veritable source of empowerment for the youths, economic development, enhancement of security and national unity, there is need for intentional and concerted sports infrastructural boost across the country. This is even as the NSC chairman believes that the facilities to be put in place at the Sports Center will help the nation’s defence for the 2030 Commonwealth Games bid.
In his speech, Mallam Dikko reiterated the President’s desire to take sports beyond competitions and make the sector a key driver of the nation’s economy, NSC’s Dr. (Mrs) Kehinde Ajayi FCAI, ANIPR Director Information and PR said in a statement.
His words: “What Mr. Project (Nyesom Wike) is doing with this project clearly aligns with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR in the restructuring of the sports sector. We are going beyond merely focusing on competitions. Sports is supposed to drive the nation’s economy, create jobs for our teeming youths and be a platform for wealth creation and redistribution across several pillars.
“We are working to spark grassroots sports development to boost our conveyor belt of talents. Nigeria can be a globally renowned exporter of sporting talents. To do this, we need world-class sporting facilities across all communities and neighborhoods. We have to key into what is happening in other African countries like Egypt, Algeria and Morocco where community sports facilities have been encouraged and part of youth engagement, deepening of security and peaceful coexistence across the country.”
While thanking H.E Barr. Wike for his unwavering support this far, preparatory to the official 2030 Commonwealth Games bid, the NSC chairman enthused that the Sports Center, billed to be completed in June 2026, will boost the bid defence. He pledged the Commission’s availability, collaboration with the FCTA and support towards ensuring that the facilities at the Center and all others planned by the FCT Minister meet international standards.
The NSC chairman also applauded the FCT Minister for awarding contracts for the redevelopment of the Area 10 Stadium and Area 3 Sports Center among other landmark sporting infrastructures aimed to boost sports across the Area Councils in the Federal Capital.
“When we started the sports restructuring, we were engaging the state governors and Local Governments across the country to see how they can help uplift their infrastructure and develop the sports ecosystem. My team kept asking me ‘have you spoken to FCT Minister, what is he doing about sports?’ I told them to calm down, that he knows what he is doing. At the right time sports will be on the front burner in FCT. I am highly vindicated by this event today”, he observed.
The FCT Minister corroborated Dikko’s position that sports under the current dispensation goes beyond competitions.
“Just as the NSC chairman said, sports is no longer all about keeping fit. Sports is one of the sectors that keeps many countries going economically. Brazil exports many talents and it helps their economy. We can’t achieve all that with our sports without quality facilities”, he said.
He concluded: “One of the President’s 8-point agenda is to empower the youths through job creation. We encourage our youths to take advantage of this center and we will make sure that the facilities are up to international standards and would be managed by the private sector to ensure sustainability.”
The Multi-event Sports Center which is one of three prototype centres to be built in the FCT will feature a standard football pitch, two practice pitches, nine mini pitches, four tennis courts, basketball, squash courts, badminton and others.
