The Lamurde Youth Development Association in Adamawa has called on the state government to show greater commitment to youth sports development.
The Chairman of the association, Mr Timothy Gwalashawai, made the call on Sunday in Lamurde, while addressing a delegation of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which visited Lamurde Local Government Area to consult with stakeholders.
Gwalashawai opined that sports could be used to foster peace and unity in the state, if properly developed.
He expressed concern that government allegedly neglected sports, in spite of “the unique role sports play in peace building and youth empowerment.”
He said: “Look at the poor showing by Adamawa contingents at the just concluded National Sports Festival where the state came 33rd.
“That will show you how sports have been neglected in the state,” Gwalashawai said.
He said that stakeholders in the area wanted a government that would help to restore Adamawa’s lost glory in sports.
“I want to commend our former Gov. Murtala Nyako for his administration’s support to sports and hope we will have such an administration again in the state,” he said.
He appealed to the state government to support the initiatives by some youths and sports enthusiaists to revive sports in the state.
In his speech, the state Chairman of ADC, Alhaji Yahaya Hammanjulde, said the party’s governorship candidate, Sen. Abdul-Azeez Nyako, was committed to youth development. Hammanjulde said that the former lawmaker played a key role in the passage of “Not too young to run” bill.
He assured the people of the area that the party’s governorship hopeful would sponsor sporting competitions among the youths of the area, if voted into office.
He urged the youths to vote for him, describing the youthful Abdul-Azeez as one of their own.
He said, “If you look at Lamurde today, the only projects you see were executed by former governor Nyako, who is here to assure you that Abdul-Azeez will continue where he stopped,” Hammanjulde said.
In his remarks, Nyako, who led the delegation, said he was in Lamurde to commiserate with the people over recent conflicts between herders and farmers. (NAN)
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