SPORTS MINISTER, DARE, TEES OFF GOLF TOURNEY MARKING NIGERIA’S 59TH INDEPENDENT ANNIVERSARY

Nigeria’s sports ministry under Sunday Dare has pledged to extend support to golf.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development reiterated this commitment on Saturday at the ceremonial Tee-off of the 59th Independence ceremony of the IBB International Golf Club in Abuja.

As the Grand Patron of the club, President Muhammadu, represented by the Minister performed the tee-off, and made this assertion at the IBB International Golf Course Abuja.

Sunday Dare, in a goodwill message on behalf of the president, stated that the leadership of the country has progressed within these 59 years of Independence.

He said this current leadership is concerned with building structures for the development of the country and that the Administration is interested in sports development in a way that goes beyond sporting activities.

He said the Ministry has been collaborating and exploring ways to strengthen some of these supports. He also stressed that he is aware of that golf needs funding like other sports.

The Minister disclosed that he has a novel initiative that includes “adopt an athlete, adoption a sport, adopt a pitch for stadium upgrade, and adopt a sport centre” that are all geared towards encouraging private sector participation in sports.

The minister confirmed that he is already soliciting support from the Federal Capital territory to also add the golf course under the ambit of its Ministry.

Earlier, the Captain of the Golf club, Shola Awoyungbo briefed the Minister on the effort the club has made to bring back the restore the glory of the golf course. He said they have adopted the Public, Private Partnership such that members of the public can have access to the course.

Speaking further, Awoyungbo gave a picture of the Golf club as having a natural environment that the United Nations (UN) has come to survey to ascertain the kind of animals that will be suitable for the environment, nevertheless ecological problem has remained the biggest challenge confronting the club.