Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, Minister of Education at the weekend, urged participants at the on-going Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association (NIPOGA) to use sports to promote national unity.

Rufai said this when she declared open the Games named, “ Zaria 2010,” at Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria.

She was represented by the Chairman, Governing Board of National Board for Technical Education, Alhaji Musa Ahmed.

Rufai restated the commitment of government to the development of extra-curricular activities in schools to enhance students’ mental growth.

In his speech, Gov. Patrick Yakowa said the state government had a special interest in sports, adding that this informed the decision to host the 2009 KADA games.

Represented by the state’s Commissioner for Sports, Dr Shehu Adamu, Yakowa said government had done its best to put in place facilities of international standard for a successful competition.

The Chairman, Conference of Heads of Polytechnics, Dr Mas’ud Idris, said the essence of the Games was to foster unity.

The Games, he said, was also to select athletes to represent the country in national and international sporting engagements.

Idris, who is also the Rector, Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure, commended the host institution for providing what he described as “befitting state-of-the-art facilities”.

“ Going by what we saw, it is the first of its kind in the history of NIPOGA.

“ You certainly deserve a special commendation,” he added.

Earlier, the Rector of the host institution, Alhaji Suleiman Aliyu, charged the athletes to be disciplined, obedient and exhibit high sense of sportsmanship.

NAN reports that the opening ceremony also featured two football matches.

Federal Polytechnic Mubi tackled IMT Enugu while Federal Polytechnic Birnin-Kebbi played against Lagos Polytechnic Ikorodu.

Both games ended goalless.