Barrister Solomon Dalung is seeking Private Sector Initiative to prepare the National U-21 Volleyball team ahead of the World Cup in Tunisia.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development made the clarion call when he received the National U-21 Volleyball team who recently won the Men’s Nation’s Cup which ended in Abuja at the weekend.
While congratulating the team, Barrister Dalung called on the Private sector to assist government by investing in sports development and contribute to the preparation of the U-21 Volleyball team ahead of the World Championship.
“Let me congratulate the young players who won the U-21 African Nations Championship.
You won because of your determination.
We must key into the scientific techniques of developing sports or else we will be left behind.
There is need for the private sector to support sports as this will help take young people off the streets and engage them actively.” The Minister also thanked the President of African Volleyball Confederation Dr Amr El Wani who used the occasion to pay him a courtesy visit, for his grassroots initiative which has lifted the standard of Volleyball in Africa.
“We thank you for the support given Nigeria and for this important initiative you have introduced in African volleyball, recognizing the fact that the future lies with the young ones.
Your pragmatic policies of grassroots development in African Volleyball is actually paying off.
The quality of play in African volleyball is coming back again and we commend your effort in partnering with us in Nigeria.
“We assure you that Nigeria will not fail your initiative.
We have keyed into it and we will support it.
We will ensure that we redirect our investment towards it so that Nigeria can become greater in Volleyball again,” Dalung stated.
In his remarks, Dr El Wani praised the commitment of the Ministry and the Volleyball Federation to the development of the game in country.
“I came to honour and recognize the great achievements and the wake up call for Volleyball in Nigeria.
We encouraged a Program to start with the young players and now, I’m very proud to hand over the trophy to Nigeria.
I came to congratulate the Minister as the head of sports in Nigeria for this great achievement.
These young players are the future of Volleyball in the next ten years.
