The Management of the National Youth Service Corps in the Federal Capital Territory has expressed a keen desire to establish closer co-operation with the Nigeria Football Federation in order to achieve its extra mandate of empowerment of the youth in the country.
Speaking during a visit to the General Secretary of NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Wednesday, the new NYSC Coordinator, FCT, Hajiya Walida Siddique Isa said that the NFF has the capacity to firmly set on course youth corpers who have the aspiration to make a career in the round leather game.
“I have just resumed as the Coordinator and I feel that it is important to meet with various stakeholders of the NYSC, of which the NFF is key. We believe that the NFF has a lot to offer us in the area of empowerment of the youth who desire to play football. We need guidance for those of them who want to make football their career and also need technical support for our football team as a whole because we play an annual competition known as the Director General’s Cup.
“We commend your efforts in trying to take Nigerian Football to new heights. The work you are doing with the various National Teams is applaudable.”
Responding, Dr Sanusi expressed delight at the visit by the NYSC Coordinator and her Management team, disclosing that he has always fully supported NYSC programmes and schemes right from his early days as a university lecturer.
“I partook in programmes and schemes of the NYSC right from my days in Sokoto State, even as ahead of the department of physical and health education. I have always been interested in the programme as I love to encourage and inspire the youth.
“It is commendable that you have come here to seek our support in the area of empowering the youth of this nation; this means that you are not just restricting ourselves to teaching them about patriotism and nationalism. Your objective is praiseworthy as football is one sure way of keeping the youth away from social and criminal vices.”
Also present at the meeting were NFF’s Director of Competition, Mr Bola Oyeyode; Director of Technical, Coach Bitrus Bewarang; Director of Finance, Mr Charity Kadiri and; Director of Communications, Mr Ademola Olajire.
From the NYSC came also Mrs Blessing Iruma (Assistant Director, Corps Inspection); Mrs Comfort Jackson (Assistant Director, PRU); Helen Eyo (Chief Inspector) and; Joel Mambula (Personal Assistant to the Coordinator).
