Katsina State Football Academy is working out modalities to recruit female players to maintain equity in the game in the state, if the situation warrants.
Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Zakari Shargalle said on Sunday at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina at a joint press briefing to welcome the representative of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Shariff Abdallah who was in the state to oversee the activities of the academy.
According to Shargalle, football has become the world’s best career for people to succeed in life not only in Nigeria but also internationally.
He assured that the academy will give players, the best in terms of training and retraining as well as scouting programs that will allow them to participate in both national and international teams with the support of the NFF.
The commissioner charged all interested youths to apply for admission into the academy in the yearly recruitment exercise, stating that, parents will have no problem about the future of their children.
He noted that the state government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in collaboration with the football academy is putting effort into guaranteeing the safety and maintaining the character and behavior of the students admitted into the academy in line with their culture, traditions, and religions.
“Football is a career that if anyone excels in the profession, can bring a lot of revenue and financial support to his immediate family, local government, state, and the country, in general, going by how a lot of footballers in Africa supporting their various governments, establishing foundations that support a lot of live threatening ailments and diseases.
“We believe with this academy, our young players who are just recruited, only God their limit. The academy will give them the best in terms of training and retraining and scouting programs so that they can have the opportunity to participate in national and international teams, especially with the support of the NFF.
“I am assuring all interested youths to apply for admission into this academy during the yearly recruitment exercise. Parents will have no problem about the future of their children.
“This visit made by the NFF representative shows that the efforts of Radda in the development of sports are being monitored and appreciated by not only the Katsina State indigenes or football lovers in the state but other international bodies.
“This visit of the NFF to Katsina State has opened an opportunity for our players to participate in international and national competitions that will come up soon.
“This academy is being recognised because it’s no longer a state football academy now because it can participate in both national and international scouting programs.
“His visit has given us the courage. It’s an opportunity Radda has given to our youth in the state by creating the academy
“The academy will give our young men both males and females opportunity,” he said.
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Earlier in his remarks, the NFF representative Abdallah assured massive support to the academy, announcing that the academy was chosen to participate in the upcoming Dana Cup scheduled to take place in Denmark.
“In the whole of Nigeria, Katsina State Government is the first and only government to fully sponsor a football academy. I really appreciate the efforts of the sports-loving governor,” he noted.
