By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos – The Nigerian Football Supporters Club (NFSC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give more attention to the sports sector, to promote unity in the country.
Samuel Ikpea, the NFSC chairman made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, against the backdrop of the reelection of Buhari.
“First, on behalf of the NFSC both in Nigeria and Diaspora, I want to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his reelection as the President of our great nation for another four years.
“I use this auspicious moment to charge him on the need to beam more light on the Nigerian sports sector, which has for decades become the most important unifier in the country.
“And in order to sustain this unity, sports proposals should be given adequate consideration in the budgets, to enable the sector do the needful on athletes welfare and officials training,’’he said.
Ikpea said the call became necessary as it would go a long way to keep the individual brilliance and never-say-die attitude of the average Nigerian athlete alive.
He urged the president to also recognise the selfless role and activities of the NFSC as it concerns their patriotic and selfless contributions to the promotion of sports in Nigeria, particularly football.
“For over 62 years, the NFSC has consistently promoted the various national teams, wherever and whenever they represented our dear nation in football fiesta and other tournaments,’’ Ikpea said.
According to him, the NFSC deserves a fair deal in terms of encouragement and support from the government.
“We will continue to do our best in the NFSC to cheer our national teams, while we look forward to an improved four years of better Nigerian sports in all of its ramifications,’’ he added.
Ikpea urged Buhari to charge the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development and its agencies to give priority to the welfare of athletes, through training, allowances, bonuses and regular refresher courses for technical officials.
