President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja declared that football remains the number one sport in Nigeria and a national asset, therefore his administration will resist any attempt to undermine its development.
The President made the pledge while receiving the 10-year Football Development Masterplan submitted by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare.
Describing football as ”our passion and a major tool for unity,” President Buhari affirmed that it is the responsibility of the government to safeguard the sport, which has brought Nigeria many laurels, and ”treat it as a national asset.”
”Indeed, just as I expect and demand a higher standard of patriotism, responsibility and commitment from those charged with the administration of our football, I also urge all stakeholders to work together constructively and patriotically.
”We have seen attempts to disrespect and undermine the institutions supervising our sports. We have seen attempts to subjugate national interest for narrow interest or disrespect the laws of Nigeria. Nigeria will not take lightly any attempt to inflict injury on its football fortunes,’’ Buhari said.
President Buhari, who used the occasion to spell out his expectations from the two-volume report, directed the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to commence its implementation in phases, within the fine lines of relevant sections of the Nigerian laws on sports development and the statutes of the world soccer governing body, FIFA.
On the forthcoming NFF executive elections, Buhari reiterated his earlier call to the body on the need for a more equitable and democratic representation in the Congress of the NFF, saying this will ensure critical stakeholders are not shut out and capable and competent men and women are elected to run the affairs of the Federation.
Sports Minister Sunday Dare described the 10-year Masterplan, which took the Ibrahim Galadima led 16-member Committee six months to prepare, as ”a world class document.”
He said the prescriptions set forth in the Masterplan, if followed through with the needed will and determination, would set Nigeria’s football on a very sure footing and position it amongst the best in the world.
Dare also told the President that one of the most important aspects of the Committee’s work is the legal regime around football in Nigeria; and the Masterplan made some far reaching recommendations on laws and statutes governing the administration of football.
Galadima, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), noted that re-engineering the legal framework will put to rest the legality of NFF.
He said the Masterplan also recommended improving the tactical depth of coaches through utilising the core mandate of National Institute of Sports, pragmatic sports programmes as well as regulating the operations of academies and grassroots based programmes.
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