Apparently taking a break from demolition activities, the department of Development Control has organized an inter-divisional football tournament to help staff relax, socialize and to promote peaceful coexistence amongst staff of different unit of the department.
Speaking to journalists during two of the matches played on an asphalt turf in the Sports Complex at the River Plate Park, Central Area, Abuja, the Director of the Department, Muktar Galadima explained that the tourney was staged to inject an element of socialization into the workforce.
He said their choice of football competition was because, it was often see as a unifying factor across the globe thereby bringing more unity a amongst the staff in discharge of their official duty.
Galadima said, “There is boredom and dullness so we have to inject life into our activities. It is not all about demolition or enforcement operations. Sometimes we have to bring in elements of socialization and use it into want we do.
“Secondly, football has been a unifying factor in Nigeria. You can seen the excitement, anxiety, and everybody is happy with one another. We want to use this tournament to, some extent, see that our staff put in their best.
“The sporting event can also enhance staff-management relationship and ensure improved welfare. If you don’t get the welfare of your staff, you will not get the maximum out of them. This is part of the strategy to get the staff fit and we get the best out of them”.
The Director stressed that another significance of the football competition was to showcase exemplary use of parks in the nation’s capital, in line with the park policy of the FCT Administration.
“And most importantly, we want to show Abuja residents that parks are not meant for drinking and others, but are for relaxation and recreational activities“, he added.
Benefits
Special Guest at the tournament and Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Tpl. Shuiabu Umar said that the competition was a “good development” because “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so we also have to create time for physical activities”.
The AMMC boss under whose Council is Development Control department, noted that lack of exercise was a “body killer”, even as he commended the department for the innovation, which he stated had awaken other departments in the Council to follow suit.
Umar while calling on the FCT Administration to institute a similar sporting completion for all the Secretariats, Departments and Agencies, said the Council was hoping to make the tournament an annual competition.
Fixtures of the tournament had teams from Building and Inspectorate Divison demolishing Development Permit Division 5-nill in Group A, while Group B has Monitoring and Enforcement Division squaring up in an upcoming match with Logistics/ICT Division team.
In Group C the Administration Division team who defeated their opponent Mass Housung/Aesthetics and Amenities 3-nill to to book a place for semi-final.
We gathered that winner of the competition would go home with a special trophy.
