- He said this on Friday
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has vowed to transform the state into a major sports hub in Nigeria.
The governor made this commitment while speaking at the opening of the inaugural seminar organized for media officers of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) in Makurdi on Friday.
Governor Alia outlined his administration’s ambitious plans to revive sports in Benue, emphasizing the importance of upgrading sports infrastructure. He revealed that the Gboko Stadium and other pitches across the state would be upgraded to meet world-class standards.
“Benue is set to become a sports hub in our nation. We have just begun focusing on sports; we have revived the Governor’s Cup and plan to upgrade all football pitches in the state, including those in schools,” the governor said.
He also assured the public that the state would ensure the timely payment of players’ salaries and prioritize the revitalization of key stadiums like the Gboko Stadium and the Aper Aku Stadium to restore football’s former glory in Benue.
Earlier, Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL, encouraged media officers to play a pivotal role in reshaping the narrative and promoting Nigeria’s professional football league. He stressed that the seminar was intended to guide media officers in projecting the league positively.
Owumi stated, “We have neglected this aspect for too long. We need to embark on a new journey in professional football by changing the narrative and turning things around.”
He also mentioned that the NPFL board plans to introduce an award for the best media officer in the coming season, urging participants to understand the league’s framework and use their influence to market the talents within their clubs.
Discussion about this post