Date: 2020-01-09

Kwara State Government has entered into a partnership with an international sports recruitment outfit, Sportico Africa, with the aim of discovering grassroots sports talents in the state for international exports.

Speaking in Ilorin on Thursday, Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mrs Joana Kolo, said that the present state government is committed to taking sports development to greater heights in the state.

The programme, titled: "Kwara State street soccer and scouting tournament" lhas six participating teams from the state-owned Kwara Football Academy (KFA), Enugu and Lagos States.

The commissioner, who expressed optimism that the partnership would afford sports talents, especially, footballers to showcase their ability, added that they would get the opportunity to play outside the country like Europe.

She hailed Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for reviving sports in the state, saying that the partnership would discourage foreign travels by young athletes in search of club sides.

The commissioner, who called for support of stakeholders, said that other states of the federation should emulate strides of the present administration in the area of sports development in the state.

Also speaking, the CEO of the Sportico Africa, Okeke Emmanuel, commended the state government for the collaboration, saying that it takes determination and commitment of great leadership to provide an opportunity for young ones in sports.

Okeke, who lamented lack of sporting facilities in the country as in Europe, said that foreign professional soccer handlers in the arrangements would impact on Nigerian young players for better development.

"We've seen a lot of soccer talents in the state, despite the lack of adequate sporting facility in the country when compared with countries Europe. We are interested in supporting efforts of the state government to discover talents with available facilities here. With our team of experts, it is hoped that the partnership would take sports to greater heights in the state."