48 Plateau Schools Receive Equipment From Sports Lottery Fund

TAIWO ADELU

The National Sports Lottery Fund on Friday unveiled and presented sports equipment to 48 public primary schools in Plateau State.

The ceremony took place at the Rwangpam Stadium in Jos.
The equipment meant for nine sports include basketball hoops, nets and uprights, table tennis boards, trophies, soccer balls and goal posts, judo and taekwondo mats, volleyball and handball nets, balls and posts, badminton rackets and athletics kits.
The gesture, according to the Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Engr. Habu Gumel is to develop sports at the grassroots in all the 36 states of the federation.

Gumel urged the beneficiaries to put the equipment to good use and be accountable for it.
“Our resolve is to ensure that these intervention sports equipment reach all the marked public primary schools in the 36 states of the federation. We are utilizing the proceeds generated from the National Sports Lottery Fund for the provision of sports equipment for public primary schools. We are confident that this intervention program will lead to the discovery of new talents that abound in our communities and rural areas”.
On the occasion, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung thanked the National Sports Lottery Fund for the gesture and the Plateau State government for the platform used to present the sports equipment to the schools.
The Minister urged the pupils to channel their energy toward sports activities to secure their future.
“We have identified sports as a tool that can be used to move this country. Today, the highest paid man on earth is a sportsman, therefore, dear pupils, go into sports because there’s money there. This administration is committed and dedicated to building a healthy and virile nation where the future is guaranteed”.
Barrister Dalung also warned the schools against selling or diverting the equipment for personal gains but to ensure that they’re put to use for the benefit of the children.
“We are going to closely monitor the distribution of these sports equipment and we urge the beneficiaries to ensure that this investment in our children is not wasted. We want to produce world class athletes for the future which starts from this first step of procuring equipment for grassroots athletes” Dalung said.
Also in attendance was the Governor of Plateau State who was represented by his deputy Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden.