Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has called for development strategies toward transforming football from being a recreational sport to business enterprise in the country.

Ahmed told the leadership of the Nigerian National League (NNL) Board who paid him a courtesy visit in Ilorin on Wednesday that football should be run as business.

He noted that if football was run as a business venture, it would create more employment opportunities for the youth.

The governor added that participation in football would promote sound health, check criminal tendencies among youths and engender unity in the country.

Ahmed assured the nation’s football administrators that his administration was ready to support initiatives that would transform football into a business culture in the state.

He commended the leadership of the NNL board for its efforts in running football professionally in the country.

Ahmed, however, charged the board to devise strategies to ensure that more fans return to the stadia to watch football matches.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the NNL board, Emeka Iyama, lauded the state government for financing the state-owned club, Kwara United.

He said without the financial support of the state government, the club would have been unable to gain promotion to the premier league.

(NAN)