Sports, social agent for unity ―Dalung

 

 

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung has described sports as an instrument of social integration that can easily bring unity among Nigerians.

The Minister disclosed this in Bauchi during the official opening ceremony of the 36th edition of the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA), tagged “Bauchi 2017.”

He urged the participants to develop friendship among themselves which will metamorphosis into creating unity of the country.

The Minister further asserted that Sports has moved from its initial entertainment to a profession urging the youths in the country to grab the opportunity and excel in various sporting activities.

In his speech, Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar reiterated the determination of the his administration to improve the standard of all sporting facilities in the state to boost sporting activities.

Abubakar said that the remaining facilities owned by the State Government would also be renovated to enable sportsmen and women in the state compete favorably well with their counterparts from other states.

He added that the Games will assist in fishing out hidden talents within the civil service that would represent the country in future competitions as well as sustain unity among sports men and women.

President of FEPSGA, Comrade Dahiru Hassan had earlier in his address, said that 60 clubs and officials from various Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), are participating in games.

Hassan charged the participants that would compete in 15 different events to exhibit high sense of sportsmanship and decorum both within and outside the field.

He asserted that the participants should not see the games as a do or die affairs, therefore, defeat or loss should be taken in good faith.

Hassan warned that his administration has zero tolerance to the use of mercenaries known as “hired players and non-staff” as the games were meant for no permanent and pensionable staff of MDAs.

He said that any club caught with the use or attempt to use non-staff will be disqualified from the competition while appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against defaulters.

The President said that the games was founded in 1980 by the then Head of Service of the Federation and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Late Chief Gray Longe and has been supervised and nurtured by successive Heads of Service of the Federation.

He said the game was meant to develop the physical and mental abilities of civil servants to enable them provide effective and efficient services to the country.

The Head of Service of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita while speaking at the occasion, said that the participation by the workers would lead to enhanced productivity as the workers be fitter and do better job.

Oyo-Ita, represented by the Head of Service Welfare Officer, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, noted that her office would transform the federal civil service to a “Modern Civil Service Organization that would provide world class service for sustainable national development.

The Head of Service then commended the Bauchi State Governor for hosting the games saying that the Federation would always remain grateful to him.

The Governor was honored with the title of FEPSGA Ambassador for his contribution to sports development.