Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on
Monday said adequate preparation remained the only panacea for Nigerian
athletes to perform exceptionally well at the Commonwealth Games taking place
in Australia in 2018, assuring that every effort would be geared towards giving
them necessary facilities to prepare.
Speaking at Lagos House in Ikeja after receiving
the Queen’s Baton, the traditional curtain-raiser to the Commonwealth Games,
Governor Ambode assured that the State Government would revamp all the sporting
facilities in the State and make them available for use by athletes
representing Nigeria at the Games.
The Governor, who was particularly happy to
receive the baton at Lagos House, congratulated the people of Australia for
being the proud host of the Commonwealth Games, adding that the development was
a wake-up call to Nigerians.
“I like to assure that we will use this particular
event to jump-start and reactivate the training of all our athletes that will
be going to the Commonwealth Games next year. While I like to charge our
athletes, I also like to appeal to the different agencies and authorities that
we should ensure that we provide adequate facilities and equipment for all our
athletes.
“Like you are already aware, this Commonwealth
Games will be hosted in the beautiful city of Gold Coast, Queens Land in
Australia and so we believe strongly that proper preparation is the only way
that can get Nigeria to win the gold and that is why our government is
seriously committed to uplifting all the sporting facilities in the State so
that we can use it as a platform to encourage our athletes and also improve on
sports development.
“In the last few weeks, we have been trying our
best to reactivate the sporting facilities we have in Lagos and in partnership
with the Federal Ministry of Sports, we believe that those facilities will be
available for all our athletes to use them as we prepare for the Commonwealth
Games,” Governor Ambode said.
On his part, Minister for Youth and Sports,
Solomon Dalung, who led the delegation to the Lagos House alongside President
of Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr Habu Gumel and Australian High Commissioner
to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Lehmann, among others, thanked the Lagos State Government
for the reception and other plans at ensuring the best of preparation towards
the coming games next year.
The Minister specifically promised collaboration
of the Federal Government with any State that is ready to assist in
facilitating better sporting activities in their States for the benefit of the
country.
“Just as the Governor of Lagos State had
indicated, we would continue to collaborate with States that are willing to invest
in the transformation of our dilapidated facilities in their States, so that it
can be put to use for the benefit of Nigerians.
“The state at which some of the facilities are
benefits nobody but if they are transformed, they would be more useful to Nigerians
and the young people,” Dalung said.
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