The Governor of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has committed to completing a state-of-the-art stadium in Yola, the capital city, by March 2025.
He made this promise while hosting a delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation, led by its President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
Speaking during the reception on Thursday at the Government House in Yola, Fintiri expressed his gratitude, saying, “I want to extend my special thanks for this timely courtesy visit.”
“My administration has always been committed to constructing a befitting stadium for the benefit of our teeming youth population in this State and the nation at large.
“Your coming will definitely hasten the pace of this project.
“Building the stadium is our own way of fighting poverty, youth restiveness and juvenile delinquency.
“We know that when the youth have the means of empowerment, and positive areas to channel their energy, all manner of vices and mischief reduce drastically in a society.
“We enjoin you to visit the site and advise the government appropriately on whichever aspects we have left out or have not set out properly, so that we can amend and incorporate those observations into the project.”
Earlier, Gusau had praised Governor Fintiri and his administration for the giant strides being made in several sectors in the State, and particularly expressed excitement at the latter’s expressed determination to conclude the project within a few months.
He said: “Presently, we are experiencing hard times in our football with regards to stadium infrastructure.
“As I speak to you, we can only host our ‘A’ matches at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
“Your commitment to completing the stadium here in record time will help Nigeria football, and ultimately become a magnificent legacy of your administration.
“Football is passion; football is life.
“It is the only factor that unifies all our peoples from different backgrounds and physical and mental divides.
“Sporting infrastructure enables the youth to be meaningfully and fruitfully engaged and I assure you that the NFF will do whatever it can in terms of providing advice on configuration as the project moves ahead.”
Gusau also advised Fintiri to sponsor an under-17 football championship in the state, which will be organised by the Adamawa State Football Association, to unearth talents that can be nurtured from the grassroots to stardom.
It was learnt that the Adamawa New Stadium Complex had been glossed over by three previous administrations in the State.
Present as well as the occasion were the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government, Alhaji Auwal Tukur; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Edgar Amos; Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Adamawa State, Yakubu Wali; Member of NFF Executive Committee, Timothy Heman Magaji; NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; Commissioner for Sports in Taraba State, Joseph Joshua; and Chairman of Adamawa State FA, Waziri Furo Gawe;
Also present were the Chairman of Gombe State FA, Yakubu Sarma; Sajo Mohammed; Chairman of Yobe State FA, Alhaji Garba Mohammed; NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; NFF’s Head of Member Associations, Ali Abubakar Muhammad; Special Adviser to the NFF President, Danladi Umar; and Super Falcons’ Assistant Coach, Justin Madugu.
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