…Dare charges volleyball federation on grassroot development
By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has expressed his Ministry’s willingness to partner with ActionAid Nigeria in the area of poverty reduction, promotion of peace and security.
This is coming even as he reiterated the several initiatives put up by the ministry as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration to create wealth and jobs for the youth.
Meanwhile, the Minister has called on the Nigeria Volleyball Federation to put up structures that will ensure the development of the game from the grassroots so as to ensure its sustainability.
The Minister made the disclosure in his office in Abuja, when members of the ActionAid Nigeria led by its Country Director, Ene Obi paid him a courtesy visit.
According to him, the present administration is committed to the upliftment of the lives of our unemployed and productive youth roaming the streets. That is why he said,
He said initiatives like the Digital Skills, Entrepreneurship, Employability and Leadership (DEEL), Work Experience Programne (WEP), among others are packaged by government with the aim to reducing poverty amongst the youth who are vulnerable to committing crimes and criminalities as a result of unemployment.
In addition to providing policy direction in youth and sports development affairs in Nigeria, Dare said, the Ministry will continue to work in collaboration with other government agencies, international development partners, civil society organisations, youth organisations and the private sector aimed at ensuring full implementation of policies and programmes of the federal government that will improve the lives of the Nigerian youth and make them contribute meaningfully to the economic growth and development of the country.
Dare therefore called on ActionAid Nigeria, philanthropists and all relevant stakeholders to continue to join hands with the government in its bid to stem out poverty among the teeming youth so as to achieve lasting peace and security in our nation.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alh Ismaila Abubakar assured ActionAid Nigeria that the Ministry will continue to provide an enabling environment that will give room for positive collaboration with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders for youth and sports development in line with its mandate.
The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, in a remark, said the aim of their visit was to seek areas of collaboration with the Ministry particularly in the youth sector, for the promotion of peace, security and poverty reduction among them so as to bring about economic growth and development in the country.
On the grassroot development of volleyball, the Minister also gave the charge yesterday in his office in Abuja, when he received a delegation from the Federation International for Volleyball (FIVB) and Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB), led by the President, Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Mr. Musa Nimrod.
According to him, volleyball is one of the games that have grown exponentially since his assumption of office as Minister, and as such would need all the wherewithal for the maintenance of the present tempo.
He therefore urged the Federation to develop more interest in the game especially in schools and colleges so as to shoot Nigeria to one of the topmost categories in International Volleyball competitions.
“Work towards developing the game from the grassroots, schools, colleges and ensure Nigeria produces volleyball teams and clubs that can compete favourably with other countries,” Dare said.
The Minister who said volleyball is part of the nation’s DNA, said Nigeria is a sports loving country where government is ready to support all games to thrive for the harvest of talents and socio-economic development of the country.
Also speaking, the President, Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Mr. Musa Nimrod commended the present Administration for its contribution to the development of the game in Nigeria.
He assured that the Federation will do its best to ensure that Volleyball is given a pride of place in the country.
The delegation from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) which was led by Mr. Mushtaque Mohammed also comprised Hitesh Malhotra and multiple Olympic medalist and legend, De Good Amauri Giba as well as the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel who is an Executive Committee member of the International Volleyball Federation.
