Governor Umar Namadi has promised that his government will support grassroots sports development. He sees this as a way to discover talents, empower young people, and promote unity in Jigawa State.
The governor made this promise on Saturday during the grand finale of the Hadejia Local Government Inter-Ward Football Competition at the Hadejia Township Stadium.
Teams from all eleven wards in Hadejia Local Government Area took part in the tournament, which was sponsored by Abdullahi S.G. Shehu, the Accountant General of Jigawa State.
In the final match, GRA Ward won the championship, beating Sabon Garu Ward.
Governor Namadi called the event a major step forward for sports development in Hadejia Local Government. He praised the accountant general for sponsoring an initiative that matches his government’s vision.
“I want to assure you that everyone who participated in this competition, from the opening match to the final, is a winner because this initiative is in line with our government’s commitment to developing the sports sector and helping our teeming youth realize their full potential through sports,” he said.
He reminded everyone that one of his first orders was to have the Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports, and Culture create a structured grassroots sports development program. This program starts at the ward level, moves to local government, and ends with competitions at the state level.
According to him, this initiative has already shown results with the emergence of the Jigawa Junior Golden Stars. He proudly said the team now plays in the Nigeria Nationwide League One (Division Two) with only players from Jigawa State.
“This initiative is exactly what we set out to achieve, and by the grace of Allah, we have accomplished it. We will continue to replicate this model across all sporting disciplines to strengthen sports development and empower our young people by nurturing talents from the grassroots.”
The governor also mentioned that he has asked the Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports, and Culture to make sure the Hadejia Township Stadium is repaired and upgraded within six months. This will provide better facilities for young athletes in the area.
Governor Namadi thanked Abdullahi S.G. Shehu, the Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports, and Culture, the participating teams, match officials, and everyone else who helped make the tournament a success.
Earlier, the Accountant General of Jigawa State, Abdullahi Shehu, said the football competition aimed to build unity among young people through sports. He also wanted to provide a platform for finding and developing talented players at the grassroots level.
He praised Governor Namadi’s administration for focusing on youth development and sports. He described the government’s grassroots sports policy as a way to find future champions and promote social unity across the state.
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