The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, on Friday, hosted Nigeria’s contingent that participated at the Malta Gymstars International Championship in Malta in Abuja.
This is as the Group Managing Director of GTI Asset Management & Trust Limited, Abubakar Lawal joined other well-meaning Nigerians in congratulating Senator John Owan Enoh on his appointment as Minister of Sports Development.
GTI is a strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
According to a statement by the media aide to the Minister, Mr. Kola Daniels, the team of young gymnasts represented Nigeria in the 15 nation championship in Cottonera, Malta.
He said the Nigerian TIG team of seven young gymnasts, led by Coach Tony Asuquo, clinched 23 medals in total.
He said the minister congratulated the contingent on the behalf of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for making Nigeria proud.
The statement said Enoh thanked the TIG Gymnastics club for promoting gymnastics in Nigeria, urging them to keep staying true to their mission.
“On behalf of His Excellency, the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I congratulate you all for the enormous feat. I regard this as a tremendous effort.
“Your private efforts have benefited our country a great deal. It’s amazing what you all have done in faraway Malta.
“I am here to encourage the efforts you’re making as youngsters. We will ensure that no sports suffers neglect, as our attention will spread across all sports, with special attention for the grassroots.
“While education is important, we also want to help budding stars grow their talents and fulfil their potential,” he said.
Enoh added: “We want kids to grow up knowing that, even as a gymnasts, they can get to the world stage and do great things.
“As minister of sports, I will remain very interested and committed to the growth of our youngsters”, he said.
Last Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu named Enoh, a two-term member of the House of Representatives and one-term Senator, as the Minister of Sports Development.
In a press statement in Lagos on Friday, Lawal said: “I want to congratulate Senator Enoh on his appointment as Sports Minister and we hope he hits the ground running because of the enormous challenges facing the sports ecosystem.
“GTI, as a strategic partner to the NPFL, is neck-deep in ensuring that our football is well restructured and repositioned in line with international best practices and our efforts are already bearing fruits.
“I pray with the support of Corporate Nigeria and other well-meaning stakeholders in the sports industry, the new sports minister should be able to take Nigerian sports to enviable height. From GTI, we will continue to work closely with the newly inaugurated Board of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye towards a successful and seamless execution of the upcoming season”.
Lawal charged Enoh to ensure that government continues to compliment the efforts of corporate bodies to provide environment that is safe and conducive for sports development to thrive in the country.
The GTI boss further stated with a tinge of regret that the country is well blessed with talented sportsmen and women at the grassroots, but how to unearth these future superstars remain a herculean task which must be surmounted.
“GTI is willing and fully ready to cooperate and collaborate meaningfully and positively with the new sports minister to harness the potentials locked in Nigeria’s sports industry. We have already taken up the NPFL project and our aim is to make our elite football league a thriving transparent business enterprise that is capable of sustaining itself and employing millions of Nigerians who are ready to contribute significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product”, Lawal concluded.
