Wednesday, Sep 3, 2008

Intercontinental Bank Plc has donated N100 million to Kaduna State government to assist it host the 16 National Sports Festival in November. Mohammed Lawal, the Executive Director, Business Services, who presented a cheque of the sum to the government in Kaduna, said the gesture was part of its corporate responsibility. Lawal said that with the assistance, Intercontinental Bank expressed the hope that the state would host a hitch-free national event, and pledged the organisation’s continued support for the Games, tagged, “KADA 2008”. Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Patrick Yakowa, who received the donation, thanked Intercontinental Bank for the gesture. Yakowa, also the chairman, Main Organising Committee of the Games, said that in spite of the N2 billion already spent on preparations, the government still needed about N600 million. He called on corporate bodies to partner with the government to ensure a successful festival, promising that money given would be judiciously spent. The deputy governor said that more funds was required to provide accommodation and other logistics, describing the sports festival “as money consuming”.

Friday, Jan 11, 2008

Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara has approved N4 million to enable the state contingent to prepare for the forthcoming 16th National Sports Festival in Kaduna in April. Zakari Mohammed, the Commissioner for Sports, told Tidesports source in a telephone interview that the governor announced the approval on Saturday at the inauguration of 26 states sports’ associations. “The governor has approved N4 million for the Kwara contingent to ‘Kaduna 2008,” Zakari said. The commissioner, who represented the governor at the ceremony, said the money was for the purchase of kits as well as camping of the athletes. “I want to charge you all to take advantage of this gesture to train your athletes well so that they can win medals for the state in Kaduna,” Zakaru quoted Saraki as telling the associations’ chiefs. He said that the governor noted that it was the first time in the history of sports in Kwara that money was provided for preparing athletes for the biennial fiesta. Zakari said Saraki also approved a take-off grant of N1.4 million for the 26 sports associations.

Alhaji Shehu Adamu
Lagos

Alhaji Shehu Adamu, Kaduna State FA Chairman, board member of the NFA, twice commissioner in the state and sports enthusiast was last month brought on board as the State's Commissioner for Youths and Sports to re-energize the preparations for the hosting of the 16th National Sports Festival billed for September in the State.

In this interview with George Oji, the new commissioner spoke about efforts to ensure the smooth hosting of the festival by the state as well as issues affecting Nigerian football.

Some people have expressed doubts about the preparedness of the State to host the 16th National Sports Festival that is barely three months away?
Kaduna State is doing everything possible to ensure that we host a hitch-free and befitting National Sports festival. The reason why people doubted our readiness was the delay in the unveiling of the official logo and mascot of the festival. However, May 24, 2008 remains a memorable day for the people of Kaduna State and sports officials from Abuja, who witnessed the official unveiling of the logo and mascot for the festival. That event kick-started the activities of the National Festival and since then the marketing and sponsorship committees of the Festival had swung into action to look for potential partners with the Kaduna State Government to ensure we have a befitting festival. Concerning the infrastructure for the Festival it has been the concern of the state government from the beginning to provide state of the art infrastructure for the Festival such that even after the event, the youths in the state will continue to benefit from the facilities. As a result, over N2 billion will be injected for the provision of infrastructure by the Arc. Namadi Sambo's administration. If you go to the Murtala Square today, which is going to host most of the events you will notice remarkable changes from what it used to be say four or three months ago. For instance, the Olympic size swimming pool that will gulp over N400 million is there under construction, the volley ball synthetic court, tennis court, the hockey court, rugby field, base ball court, gymnasium for some indoor events are all under construction. So, in the next few months if the infrastructures are completed as promised by the contractors, there is no doubt Kaduna State is going to host one of the best games in the history of the country's National Sports Festivals. As far as Kaduna State is concerned we are on track and we are going to meet the target. Already, the contractors have given their assurances to the State Governor Arc. Namadi Sambo of their readiness to meet the August deadline set for them by the state government. For now, money is not the problem.

It is estimated that about 95 per cent of the infrastructures for the festival would be constructed afresh, how much of support are you getting from the Federal Government?
Majority of the funding is coming from the Kaduna State Government this is why at the end of the day the property would belong to the Kaduna State people. So, we are not thinking about the contribution of the Federal Government, that was why the state government ensured that it increased this year's budget for the ministry substantially to ensure that it is able to cope with putting up the infrastructures.

I am sure the state does not only wish to host a befitting Festival but also hopes to win, how prepared are the state's athletes for the games?
In Kaduna State we have two objectives - to host a befitting festival and we are also targeting to win it. But we are not hoping to win at all costs. No! We are hoping to improve from our last performances in 2002, 2004 and 2006. But if we are able to win the championship, so be it. But our primary concern is to provide a level playing ground for every athlete to show-case his/her potentials. Regarding our own team, we are ensuring that we provided them with the best support, motivation, adequate environment that will enable them give their maximum performance.

What are your plans to ensure that the athletes excel in those sports that the state has not been doing well over the years like in swimming?
Right now our swimmers are training in Zaria and some in Hamdala Hotel, Kaduna where they have semi standard swimming pool, but that of Zaria is an Olympic size swimming pool. Our target is not immediately for 2008, we are thinking beyond that. This is why we are concentrating on putting the infrastructures on ground that is our thinking, that is our focus and that is our commitment.

The governor had cause to terminate some contracts already awarded for the Festival the last time he undertook an inspection tour of the project sites, what necessitated that drastic action?
This to show you that the state government is determined to ensure that the quality and standards of the projects cannot be compromised. At any time we feel that any individual or contractor that was given a target and mobilized to site and could not meet up the standard put in place by government we have no choice but to demonstrate that we have no business with such persons or companies. Once you default in the contractual agreement it means you are not ready to work with the government. Don't forget that time is not on our side.