On International Sports Day, Obaseki reaffirms commitment to youth development

[FILES] Obaseki. Photo/ facebook/godwinobasekiofficial

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, said his government would continue to prioritise sports development, deploying strategies to harness the sporting potential of the state’s youths. This, he said, would be done to promote peace and ensure sustainable socio-economic growth and development.

Speaking during the commemoration of this year’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), marked by the United Nations and its sister agencies with the theme, ‘Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of Sports,’ Obaseki, who noted the role of sports in sustaining peace and development in society, said his administration would sustain programmes and policies to harness the sporting potential to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all Edo citizens.

He said: “As we join the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, we must remind ourselves of the very important role that sports play in promoting peace and unity and achieving sustainable socio-economic growth and development.

“Sports have the power to change the world. It is not just a veritable tool to promote peaceful coexistence and tolerance; it has the potential of creating employment opportunities, thereby positively engaging our young people and reducing crime and other nefarious activities in the society. This is why we are determined to create the enabling environment that is required for sports to grow.”

The governor added: “We have established the Edo Sports Commission to drive our administration’s sports development plan and encourage private sector participation.

“We believe that our role is to create