The leadership of sports writers in 19 Northern States has urged governments in the region, particularly in the North-East, to use sports to fight insurgency.
In the communique of its one-day meeting in Dutse, Jigawa on Wednesday, the Northern SWAN Chairmen’s Forum said sports should be used as a tool to rehabilitate and empower deprived youths.
”The Forum calls on State Governors in the North, particularly the North-East, to use sports as a tool for trauma management of the region’s youths who have been ravaged and deprived by insurgency,” it said.
The Forum expressed delight at the new spirit and synergy being displayed by the Ministry of Youths and Sports towards resuscitating both the National Youth Games and the National Sports Festival.
It then praised the Minister, Solomon Dalung, the Permanent Secretary, Christian Ohaa, and the National Sports Commission (NSC) for their efforts in this regard.
The Forum also praised the government and people of Jigawa for ongoing efforts at developing Sports and the youths, urging other states of the federation to emulate them.
It reaffirmed the unity of sports writers in the region ahead of the Association’s forthcoming National Elections, urging other members across the country “to exhibit same for a strong and vibrant SWAN”.
While commending the national SWAN led by Saidu Abubakar for “its steadfastness in leading the Association”, the Forum urged it to look into “pending leadership issues” in the Adamawa, Kogi, Taraba and Benue chapters.
The meeting’s communique was signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Kayode Adeniyi of the FCT, the Forum’s Secretary, Musa Mahmud of Niger, and the Communique Drafting Committee Chairman, Jibo Zakari.
The meeting was attended by 16 chairmen and the representatives of three others.
