Dalung urges government to invest security votes in sports

.Says only sports can drive Nigeria out of recession

By Akeem Lawal

The Minister of Sports and Youths Development, Solomon Dalung, has urged governments at all levels to invest part of security votes in sports development in order to combat insecurity in the country.

Dalung stated this during the closing ceremony of the 2nd Governor Seriake Dickson National Wrestling Championship held at the Indoor Hall of the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last weekend.

While commending Governor Dickson for his interest in sports development in Bayelsa State,  Dalung also noted that it is only sports that can bail Nigeria out of recession, if sizeable percentage of security votes are invested in the sector.

“There is no doubt that sports remain the largest employer of labour world wide. It is only sports that can drive Nigeria out of recession. Therefore, every state governments, the private investors, the private sector, our partners, non-governmental organizations must invest positively in sports so that we can create jobs, we can create wealth, employment for our teeming young people. There is no society that is a society if such society doesn't have a master plan for the development of the youths.

“The youths are the future, hope and custodian of our tomorrow. No wonder the governor of Bayelsa having discovered this secret to success, he decided to consider a worthy partner and he has been investing in sports and supporting wrestling. By the singular act of the governor, wrestling is beginning to become an exclusive monopoly of Bayelsa State.

“Government should redirect all the money meant for security votes and invest them in sports. The moment all the security votes are invested in sports, all troubles, insurgencies, kidnapping will be dropped. The problem of security in Nigeria does not lie in security votes or investing money in police or soldier, the problems of security in Nigeria lie in investing in sports. While young people are engaged in sports like we are here, there would be no trouble. But if they are not engaged, even if we buy the most sophisticated weapons in the world, we will not be able to address our security problem. Therefore, embrace sports and you have peace in your states and Nigeria, “the minister said.