Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El Rufai, has commended the state athletes for winning laurels in national and international competitions, saying the pursuit of sporting excellence informed his decision to create a dedicated Ministry of Sports Development back in 2019.

El Rufai made this known on Wednesday when athletes and sports teams, who won medals for Kaduna State at both local and international sports competitions, were presented to him at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.

Speaking, the governor listed a number of initiatives that his administration has undertaken since he assumed office, noting that his administration reintroduced sports competition in primary and secondary schools in the state to get athletes and other sporting talents.

He said: “We have reintroduced schools sports, so that we can get athletes and other sporting talents, right the primary and secondary school levels. We are also developing sporting facilities.

“We are building neighborhood sports centres. Senator Uba Sani of the Central Zone is building seven of those. I am also contributing one in my Unguwan Sarki ward. And many of my colleagues in the State Executive Council will be donating sports facilities in their neighborhoods.”

According to El Rufai, the rationale behind building neighborhood sports centres was to enable the residents of the state to access facilities easily “so that people don’t have to travel long distances, either to the township stadium, Ahmadu Bello Stadium or Murtala Mohammed Square, to practice.”

The governor disclosed that Kaduna State Government has been undertaking a major redevelopment and upgrade of the Ranchers Bees Stadium into a modern stadium.

He revealed that the state has been negotiating with the Federal Government to take over Ahmadu Bello Stadium and expand it into another multi-sports facility similar to Murtala Mohammed Square.

“Mr President has agreed in principle to the transfer of Ahmadu Bello Stadium back to Kaduna state and we are working out the details between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Youths and Sports,” he added.

The governor stated that the newly remodeled Murtala Mohammed Square was meant to be the new centre of Kaduna “where people can walk, engage in sports, play as well as enjoy”.

El Rufai noted that there would be five restaurants in Murtala Mohammed Square, a clinic, a boutique hotel, and several sporting facilities.

“Our hope is to replicate Murtala Mohammed Square not only in Ahmadu Bello Stadium but also do something similar in Kafanchan and Zaria so that our rural people will come closer to modern sports facilities,” he added.

The governor further said that his administration believes that sports is not just an activity to occupy young people but a multi-billion dollar business.

He said: “We are going to get our Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA) to be interfacing with sports associations, so that you can get sponsors that will pay you a lot of money, for doing what you enjoy.

“The involvement of sponsors like Nike, Puma, Adidas, and others will reduce the need for and reliance on government funding for sports.

“We will encourage KADIPA to develop sports management capabilities, so that they work with the various associations, to get you sponsors to attract commercial sponsorship and investments in your talent.”

Governor El Rufai, however, said the Kaduna State Government will reward the medalists with undisclosed cash gifts.

“The Ministry of Sports Development will be looking for you to give you an amount of money, as a token of our appreciation.

“In addition, all the medalists will be given land application forms to apply for land so that you can build your own houses.

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“We are very proud of what you have done, you have continued to put Kaduna state on the national and global map. And we appreciate you for that; congratulations,” the governor said.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Sports Development, Mr. Idris Nyam, said Kaduna State has a “very rich and robust sports culture which now spans over a century of recorded history with the establishment of the Kaduna Golf Club in the year 1921.”

‘’Since then, Kaduna State has continued to achieve major milestones in Sports, as demonstrated in the commissioning of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in 1965, being the second oldest stadium in Nigeria,” Nyam added.

According to Nyam, the state has produced several professional sports men and women highlighting career successes both locally and internationally.

He said: “In football, we have names such as Sadiq Umar, Moses Simon, Wilfred Ndidi, Macauley Chrisantus, Celestine Babayaro, Garba Lawal, Tijjani Babangida, Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi, Stephen Musa.”

He further listed Maryam Usman, an Olympian bronze medalist, Scott Nnaji, Ujiri Masai, and Mohammed Tijjani, as notable names in basketball, adding that Samaila Usman and Grace Ayuba were award-winning cyclists.

The Star