By Eche Amos

The leadership of Nasarawa State Football Association, NSFA, has paid a courtesy visit to the State’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Honourable Othman Bala Adam (Usman Boss), Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report

Leading the delegation to the office of the Commissioner earlier today, Chairman, Nasarawa State Football Association, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, said they were in the Ministry to congratulate Othman Bala on his appointment as Commissioner and to brief him about activities of the State FA in regards to grassroots talents development.

“The purpose of the courtesy call is to brief you about activities of the FA, both past and present, and also make known to you some of our highlighted future programmes.

“We were supposed to be the first to pay you a courtesy call shortly after your appointment, but due to situations beyond our control, we decided to make it today, and we hope you will understand with us.

“Equally, too, we are here to show our loyalty to the Ministry and to assure you that we are going to work hand-in-hand with you for the common goal of our existence”, Alkali started.

Alkali who also doubles as Independent Chairman,Nigeria’s Nationwide League One,highlighted some of the activities undertaken by the State FA in aiding grassroots football development.

“We are in charge of football administration in Nasarawa State, from grassroots to the elite league and that is what we have been doing.

“Sport is a big industry and has the capacity to empower the youth of the State and give them a source of livelihood.

“You may wish to note that we have been organizing series of grassroots football competitions and it’s our earnest desire to see these grassroots programmes metamorphose into professional exposure to our young talents scattered across the nooks and crannies of the State.

“Some notable programmes like the State Football League which has now matured into the State Premier League, has been sponsored by the State FA”, he revealed.

The FA Chairman explained that as an Association, they are faced with some challenges that require the assistance of the Ministry to overcome them.

“Our challenges are enormous and range. But most obvious are bothered on running the grassroots competitions, which costs so much on us, the organizers.

“Football requires money to thrive, especially the cost of officiating.

“We wish to request for the assistance of the Ministry to enable us successfully run grassroots football, and we are assuring you that we are going to work together, from the beginning to the end, to ensure that football reclaims its number one status both in Nasarawa State and Nigeria as a whole.

“We therefore want to humbly appeal to you, the Commissioner, and the Ministry, which foresee sports, to look into our request, no matter how small, to aid the development of grassroots football in the State”, Alkali concluded.

Reacting, Honourable Othman Bala Adam welcomed the leadership of the FA and assured them of his and Government’s readiness to support their mission for youth development and empowerment.

“By the grace of God, we are going to change the face of sports in Nasarawa State.

“We are not going to brag about this, but in consonance with an updated law that allows for sports to get, at least, its share from the multinational corporations’ social responsibilities to our society. This, we are working on seriously, and rest assured that it will come to pass sooner or later”, he assured.

Othman Bala who was a former State legislator added that Government is working on remodelling the Sports Development Bill he sponsored as a legislator which later became law to reposition sports and sportsmen and women in the State.

“Going memory lane to the Sports Development Bill I sponsored which later became law while I was still a legislator with the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, suffice to state here that we are now updating the law so that sports will have one per cent of each total contract sum that the State Government is giving out.

“If implemented, it will go a long way in helping to generate a pool of resources where all these commitments, in terms of assistance, won’t be a challenge to us anymore.

“All we need to do is to sit with the Board of Trustees, present to them what we intend to spend, and forward it for approval, but in accordance with the updated law. By the grace of God, we will get out of the woods.”

He further added that the Ministry is mapping out modalities to curb the incessant challenges experienced in sports development in the State.

“We intend to reach out to some major employers of labour operating in the State to commit some per centages of their corporate social responsibilities towards sports development. We seem not to have enjoyed or benefited from this corporate social responsibility of these multi-national corporations which is why we are fighting to get their attention channelled towards sports.

“We must explore these opportunities so that we can add value to our youth. My joy stems from the fact that we already have the mandate of His Excellency, the Governor,to do whatever we can to generate revenue and help take off some of the burdens from the Government.

“If funds are readily available, our youth empowerment programmes will be superb. We will create plethora of activities and engage the youth so that they don’t have the luxury of time to indulge in deviant acts.

“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop, they say. And these youth are our future leaders; if we fold our hands and watch them destroy themselves, then we won’t have anyone to lead us in the future.

“I want to assure you that in few months to come, we will all sit, clap and rejoice together.

Joining the Commissioner to receive the FA delegation were the Permanent Secretary, Bulus Musa Amoyi, Directors Shammah Lawrence(Facilities) and Abubakar Umar (Youth Development), while other members of the State FA included Haladu Akwashiki(Vice Chairman), Comrade Alhaji Konga Ismaila, Suleiman Usman Bako, Usman Idriss Ogbela, Sallau Zubairu, Hon. Awalu Adamu, Abdulhamid Baban Rabi(Secretary), and Blessing David(Assistant Secretary).