The Lagos State Government says it will ensure that physically challenged people were engaged more in competitions in the sports they practised this year.
The Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission, Deji Tinubu made the assertion on Sunday when he spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“This year, the government will promote more the sports for the physically challenged as part of its policy to bring the dividends of
democracy to everyone.
“What we are excited about is the sports for the physically challenged; this is something that is close to the heart of the governor of the state.
“He keeps talking about several inclusions and everyone in Lagos State feeling the impact of the government.
“This is one of the best ways the physically challenged can feel the impact of the government. We are going to create a lot of awareness
about their conditions,’’ he told NAN.
“We are going to consult and make people to come out with things that the physically challenged can be involved in through sports.’’
Tinubu also disclosed that the government would sponsor many competitions to get people involved in them for their wellbeing and to contribute to the economy of the state.
“We will be holding the Lagos Classics where athletes pit themselves against their counterparts from outside the country. We have about five classics and will introduce more as the case may be.
“The classics in Lagos will be recognised in the continental sporting calendar and for rankings; this will increase the competitiveness of the sports either in the region or continent.
“There is going to be Five-A-Side football competitions for all primary and secondary schools in Lagos State. This will create a new scouting development that will discourage age cheating.
“There will be classics in the schools too; this will seek to produce a developmental programme where the real age of the players will be
monitored,’’ he said.
Tinubu said that it would be better to engage the students in sports to keep them away from vices and also use sports as a means of their
socio-economic development.
“Sports will keep our children healthy and take them away from vices which are always better, most importantly creating a healthy structure for the future.
“The government has been talking about using sports to drive entertainment and tourism in Nigeria.
“Last year, we had the Lagos fiesta which was largely successful and two months away from it we had Lagos City Marathon, this tells everyone that government is on the right path.
“Ibile Games will also be held this year and we are bringing it down to the primary and secondary schools to discover talents at an early
stage,’’ he said.
Tinubu said that the Games in the state would be talent hunt for prospective athletes, adding that there would be a database of
budding athletes.
“We are determined to discover the talents within our primary and secondary schools because they will be competing within their age
limit.
“With this, you will not have somebody who is 25 years and tells you he is 17 because you have known his talents at the early age.
“We are creating a database so that we will know all our athletes and continue to monitor their progress. A 15-year-old who runs 10.7 secs in 100m is a potential.
“Such an athlete will be properly nurtured for future engagements,’’ the comission’s chairman said.
