Lalong Urges NGF To Organise Regular Golf Summits

The Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) has been urged to organise on regular basis programmes like the National summit on golf to enable club captains, members and other stakeholders to interact, recruit more members into the game, identify and develop young talents.

Plateau State governor, Rt Hon Simon Bako Lalong, gave the advice in his goodwill message to the stakeholders at the maiden National Summit on Golf held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

He called on captains of various golf clubs to develop Peer Review Mechanism (PPM) and work together in the interest of uniformity and standardisation of the game, stating that more than being a mere sporting activity, golf is a huge economic venture.

He called on NGF to work hard to demystify the notion that golf is exclusively for the elites, while urging government and all relevant authorities to give full support to the sport both in policy matters as well as in funding.

The director-general of the APC presidential campaign for next year’s general elections, also advised that the Nigeria Open Golf Championship last held in 1999 should be restored.

While welcoming the participants to the summit, the president of NGF, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, said that the summit was informed by the need for golf captains and stakeholders in Nigeria to interact, exchange views and opinions with a view to developing a roadmap for the development of the game of golf in the country.

Runsewe said that golf can no longer be seen only as a sporting event, but also as a serious socio-economic activity with far reaching health benefits.

He said immense opportunities abound in golf which when fully developed, could stabilize the nation socially and economically, thereby driving sustainable national development. He stressed the need for golfers in Nigeria to take the game to the next level.

Stating that the summit signifies the beginning of a new dawn in the history of golf development in Nigeria, Runsewe also expressed appreciation to the sponsors/partners of the golf summit.

–Polaris Bank, Anchor Insurance, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and African Independent Television (AIT).

He said the NGF would work hard to demystify the notion that golf is exclusively for the elites, while calling on government and all relevant authorities to give full support to golf both in policy matters as well as in funding.