Council Tasks Private Sector On Sports Dev

Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State has appealed to well-meaning individuals in the area to support its youth empowerment programme through sports.

The council’s sports officer, Jokotola To-Viho, told Tidesports in Lagos that the council had resolved to engage youths constructively to make them better individuals.

“The purpose is to keep our youths off the streets and engage them in meaningful pursuits which will make them to impact positively on the society.

“The council is currently doing all it can to empower youths in the area through sports development programmes to stem youth restiveness in the LCDA,’’ she said.

To-Viho, who also heads the LCDA’s Department of Agriculture, Rural and Social Development, called on sports-loving individuals and corporate organisations to channel some of their resources to developing budding talents in the council.

“Our Chairman, Taofeek Adaranijo, has demonstrated his interest in youth empowerment through sports, with the extension of the competition to other sports, purposely to keep idle youths off the streets.

“Plans have been concluded to expand the events in the second edition by incorporating volleyball, handball, table tennis and subsequently other sports, so as to keep more youths productively engaged,“ she said.

The officer said that the need to widen the scope of the annual competition to other sports, apart from football, was necessary to ensure that more youths got involved in the programme.

To-Viho expressed confidence that the council’s football team would be promoted from the Division Two of the ongoing 2012/2013 Lagos Junior League to Division One at the end of the season.

She added that the council had purchased sports equipment for athletes’ routine training which includes two sets of jerseys, boots and footballs.