BY BEN OGBEMUDIA
Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Gen. Christopher Musa has expressed the military readiness to partner with the National Institute for Sports in the training and retraining of its coaches and athletes for ultimate performance.
The CDS also called on all stakeholders in sports to revive all grassroots sports across the States saying that sports remain an engine room to fight insecurity.
Gen. Christopher Musa, who said he still remains a member of the Edo State Handball Association stressed that Nigeria is blessed with talents said, “once we engage the youths, there will be no crime. In Nigeria, we are blessed with talents. I can assure you of the military readiness to collaborate and partner with the National Institute for Sports in training and retraining of our coaches and athletes. I’m an advocate of catching them young. We will give you the needed support in this direction”, he said.
Earlier, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports, Comrade Philip Shaibu said that the institution management visited the CDS to seek for collaboration and partnership with the military and also to introduce themselves to the CDS.
The former deputy governor of Edo State stressed the need for individual, government and corporate bodies to invest in sports adding that, “sports can deal with all aspects of the economy.
While lamenting the death of the state League across the country, Comrade Philip Shaibu, the DG/CEO of National Institute for Sports therefore advocated for the return of the league pointing out that the league can employ thousands of young Nigerians, thereby reducing the rate of crime.
The DG /CEO NIS, who also briefed the CDS of the core mandate of the institute, said he is ready to work along with the renewed hope agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in ensuring the certificate of the institution is well recognized here in Nigeria and globally.