Athletics to get priority attention at Kaduna State Sports Festival, official says
Athletics
By Stella Kabruk
Kaduna, March 1, 2020 (NAN) The Kaduna State Ministry of Sports on Sunday said it would concentrate more on athletics during the sixth edition of the State Sports Festival which gets underway on Monday in Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 16 events are to be competed for at the festival.
“We will focus more on the athletics sport at the festival because the state has already qualified for 23 team sports at the forthcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) billed for Benin later this month,’’ the state’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Kabir Mato, told newsmen in Kaduna.
Mato, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Media, Ismaila Lere, added: “Kaduna State has already qualified to compete in 13 team sports for the NSF from the zonal eliminations in Kebbi.
“So, we have to use this state sports festival to select our athletes in track and field, and as such, athletics will be given priority.
“The Ahmadu Bello Stadium will therefore be the epicentre of activities. The opening ceremony and all athletics events, as well as the closing ceremony, will be held there.’’
The commissioner however disclosed that several venues would be used for the competition.
“We have several venues for this activity. About six or seven venues will be used, namely the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna Township Stadium, Kaduna Recreation Club, Kaduna Club, Police College, Kaduna State University and Hamdala Hotel,” he said.
On the event’s funding, Mato said it was being sponsored by the state government and local governments.
“The state government is shouldering 60 per cent of the responsibilities, while the local councils are taking charge of the rest 40 per cent,’’ he said.
The commissioner disclosed also that the event’s logistics, such as accommodation and feeding, have been split between the two bodies.
“We (the state government) are taking care of accommodation of all participants at the Hajj Camp, while the local governments will take care of feeding,” he added.
Mato however commended the Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) Limited for supporting the state sports festival.
He assured that adequate measures have been taken to ensure comfortable accommodation in a healthy environment and to eliminate the problem of contagious diseases.
“We are involving the state Ministry of Health in our activities all through. There will be health personnel at all the venues, and things will go well,” the Sports Commissioner assured.(NAN)
KSS/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)