NASCOM solicits for NSSF's Support, Pledges To Lift School Sports

Chairman of the Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM), Yemi Idowu has solicited for the total support of the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) in their bid to uplift sports at the grassroots level.

  The NASCOM boss met yesterday with officials of NSSF as well as state coordinators at the ongoing National School Sports Festival holding in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State.

  "We are here to solicit for your support because we believe that NSSF is key to our success and we want to partner with you to ensure that we uplift our sports at grassroots level.

We are not to take over your responsibility but to compliment what you are doing alongside Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) in order to unearth and unleash new talents in sports.

 We cannot do it alone and that is why we want to seek your support and we hope our partnership will be better for the country," Idowu said.

  The proprietor of Nath FC of Lagos however, ruled out the idea of having state chapters of NASCOM, saying this was not part of the laws that set up NASCOM.

  "We will not be setting up any state chapter but we will be working with NSSF and YSFON to carry out our duties. We know that fund is a major factor and we believe this we will try to get from private sector so that our youths can be meaninfully engaged throughout the year in series of competitions," he explained.

  Speaking on behalf of NSSF, Ibrahim Muhammad described the new board of NASCOM led by Idowu as a blend of focus people who are passionate about Nigerian students.

  Muhammad, who is a member of the 12-man NASCOM board said: "With what I have seen so far I am fully convinced that this new board has focus and they are ready to work with stakeholders in school sports.

 I want to assure you that NSSF is willing and ready to partner with NASCOM to help develop our children and we hope this help to develop our sports in its entirety."