By Gabriel Yough
Jalingo – The National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) on Thursday in Jalingo distributed sports equipment to 44 public primary schools in Taraba.
The Fund’s Executive Secretary, Habu Gumel, said the donation of the equipment was informed by the need to stimulate sports development at the grassroots level across the country.
While presenting the equipment to the benefiting schools, the NLTF official noted that the sports intervention equipment came from revenue generated through the national lottery.
He urged the headteachers, games masters and the pupils to put the equipment into good use so that new talents in various sports can be discovered for national and international competitions.
“While urging you to put the equipment to good use in your schools and ensure their proper security, I must warn that nobody should divert them to personal use.
“We have already alerted security agencies to apprehend any culprit who diverts the Federal Government intervention sports equipment,” Gumel said.
While speaking also, the Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Habiba Lawal, noted that the purchase of the equipment was in compliance with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, William Alo, Lawal described lottery as a money-spinner worthy of patronage by all Nigerians.
“We may not be fully aware of the enormous potential of lottery as a wealth generator for the nation.
“But it is important to mention that from the earliest times in human civilisation, wealth generated from lottery have been used to transform societies through provision of infrastructure and socioeconomic development,” she emphasised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the equipment were for sports such as football, volleyball, table tennis, handball, badminton, taekwondo.(NAN)