The 2024 edition of the Bauchi State Sports Festival was declared open on Thursday by State Governor Bala Mohammed.
While declaring the Sports Festival open at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Memorial Stadium, Bauchi, the Governor stated that his administration will use sports to empower youths through the identification of talents for long-term growth and development.
Represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Auwal Jatau, the Governor expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Sports and Youths Development, the organizers, and the participants from across the twenty local governments of the state.
Acknowledging the festival’s overarching mission, the Governor emphasized the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, and fair play in developing well-rounded individuals.
He added that the event would serve as a platform to foster social interaction and the development of skills and talents across various sports disciplines, akin to the goals of aspiring athletes.
He stated that by holding the festival regularly, Bauchi State and Nigeria would be able to recover their domestic and national sporting supremacy because talents are discovered at the grassroots level and then polished to become worldwide stars.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y. Sulaiman, praised Governor Bala for reviving the state’s sports activities.
He also praised the Ministry of Sports and other sports stakeholders for facilitating the expansion of athletic activities in Bauchi State and urged participants to give their all to ensure the festival runs smoothly.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Sports and Youths Development, Mohammed Salis Gamawa, stated that sports draw adolescents away from a life of crime and poverty by providing employment and scholarships for bright youths both domestically and globally.
The Commissioner also mentioned that the Sports Festival was the sole initiative of the present administration led by Bala Mohammed to empower the youths through various sporting activities. He assured that the Ministry would strive hard to ensure the sustainability of the festival even beyond the current administration.
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