The Wamba Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State have emerged winners of the Under-13 championship organised by the Aliyu Bello Charity Foundation in the State.
The Wamba boys defeated Kokona’s local government 1-0 to win the championship at the Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State. Lafia local government battled Keffi local government to take the third position after a 1-0 win.
The Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabesaid, said he does not doubt the competition would produce a formidable team made of Nasarawa State indigenes.
“We all know that football is a big business the world over, and this is the way to start. Indeed we have talents, raw talents that are coming up,” the Governor said at the presentation of trophies.
“I want to pledge here that from now henceforth I will ensure we have this competition every year in Nasarawa State.”
Governor Sule directed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Youths and Sports Development to work directly with the organisers of the competition, in a bid to select the best five players from each of the 13 LGAs to form the Nasarawa Under-13 football team.
The Governor said the State Government would create an enabling environment and support the proposed Nasarawa Football Academy by Aliyu Bello Charity Foundation to grow talents.
“Government will support this academy and we will support it individually, I congratulate the organisers as well as those who won, and those who didn’t win, this is the way to go to discover talents,” he added.
Also speaking, the organiser, Chief Executive Officer, of Aliyu Bello Charity Foundation, Aliyu Bello, said the competition which aimed at discovering raw talents to develop them would be an annual event.
He said the foundation would partner with the State government to establish an academy and reach out to the world’s best football clubs to come and invest in Nasarawa State.
Bello also announced a plan by the foundation to pay National Examination Council (NECO) fees for 200 less privileged students this year.
“With the support of government and your support this is going to be an annual event,” Bello added. “I sincerely thank the organisers and partners of this competition for a job well done.”
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