The Zonal Preliminary of the 7th edition of Kaduna State Sports Festive for teams sport has been concluded.
Eight football teams and others in Handball, Basketball, and Volleyball have emerged to represent their local government areas from four centers.
Kudan and Giwa LGAs emerged from the Zaria center, while Igabi and Kaduna South picked tickets from Kaduna Zone and Kachia Centre, Kagarko and Kachia will represent that center, and finally, Lere and Kubau LGAs.
Giving a brief on the concluded zonal playoffs, Kaduna State Director of Sports Development, Yakubu Ibrahim describes them as a success.
“I am to tell you that we have completed the zonal preliminary matches in football and other sports and the teams will move to Kaduna Metropolis for the final”.
Yakubu Ibrahim said that the state has concluded plans to hold the State Sports Festival, where the local government will participate in several spotting-activity designed to positively channel the energy of youths in the state.
He stressed that Governor Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai believed in the talents of Kaduna state youths and saw the need to channel their energy towards the development of sports in the state.
“The governor as always has not relented in giving his approval towards the success of the game and the ministry’s activities”.
According to him, the governor has given priority to developing sports at the grassroots, hence the creation of a ministry of sports development, to fast-track sports development in the entire state.
The Director of Sport explained that the festival will parade athletes in about 30 sports, and the 23 local government areas are expected to present at least 1000 athletes at the festival which will commence this month.
” It is gratifying to note that the festival has started at the zonal level and 2019 was the last time the ministry hosted the event due to the scotch of Covid-19″.
“And this edition, the responsibility was shared 40%-60% between our ministry and that of Local Government Affairs respectively”, ministry for Local will bring 60% and we provide 40% in which, we will take care of accommodations of the local governments’ athletes as well as feeding allowance”.
Yakubu Ibrahim said the state Sporting festival is aimed at discovering the hidden talents among the youths at the grassroots, adding that local athletes who are residents in various parts of the state are eligible to participate.
According to the Director, the accredited games for the week-long sports fiesta include Athletics, Volleyball, Table Tennis Basketball, Badminton, Chess, Judo, and Hockey.