Benue State commissioner for Youth, Sports and Creativity, Terkimbi Ikyange, has assured that henceforth, the Ministry will partner with the Benue State chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) for adequate coverage of sporting activities in the state.
Ikyange gave the assurance when the leadership of the association led by their chairman, Hembadoon Orsar, paid him a courtesy in his office in Makurd.
“I am happy that today, we have a functional SWAN in the state that will propagate the work of the ministry in uplifting sports in Benue State.
“Ours is to formulate polices and drive sports development and if the public does not know what we do, then we would have failed in our responsibilities as a Ministry. So it is mandatory that we work with the SWAN,” he said
The commissioner, who tasked the members of Benue State chapter of SWAN to ensure that they report the activities of Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi, averred that: “Now that SWAN is in place, you will make it as a point of duty to ensure publicity of Lobi Stars activities and by so doing, the attention of the government will be shifted there and they will act accordingly.”
He further said, “we want to know what Lobi is doing and what ways the government can come in, we believe that your coming on board will shape a lot of things, your reportage will inform the government on how to take decisions that will affect sports development in the state. So you need to do a lot of work.”
Ikyange who directed the director of sports in the Ministry, Terzungwe Chugh, to secure an office accommodation for SWAN as its secretariat at the Aper Aku Stadium Makurdi, explained that, “we will secure a sizeable office for you to have a functional office where we can contact you when the need arise.”
Earlier, SWAN chairman Orsar said they were in the commissioner’s office to introduce the newly elected EXCO members of the association to him and thanked him for reconciling the SWAN, saying it has given birth to the peace the new leadership is enjoying.
Orsar while appealing to the Commissioner to facilitate the process of securing an office accommodation for use by the association as a secretariat, assured him that SWAN under her leadership will continue to support him and give the Ministry adequate coverage and publicity.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, John Akume, said the ministry lwill collaborate with SWAN to ensure that whatever the government is doing through the commissioner will be reported accordingly
Akume while wishing the new leadership a memorable tenure, said the Ministry would give them the maximum cooperation that they desired for them to be heard beyond Benue State.
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