Sunday Dare, Federal Minister of Youth and Sports Development has appealed to the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) and the International Volleyball Federation(FIVB) to set up the necessary structure aimed at developing the sport from the cradle, the grassroots The Trumpet gathered.
The Minister, who is a proponent of grassroots development and homegrown talents in sports, noted that volleyball is one of the sports that has improved overwhelmingly since he assumed office and charged NVBF, FIVB and CAVB to sustain the feat when he received a delegation led by the President of NVBF, Mr Musa Nimrod.
He urged the Federation therefore to develop more interest in the game in schools and colleges to ensure Nigeria is shot to the topmost category in international volleyball.
He said, “Work towards developing the game from the grassroots, schools, colleges and ensure Nigeria produces the volleyball teams and clubs that can compete favourably with other countries.”
The Minister, who also said volleyball is part of the nation’s DNA, opined that Nigeria is a sports-loving country where the government is ready to support all games to thrive for the harvest of talents and socio-economic development.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alh Ismaila Abubakar assured that the Ministry is ready to join hands with the volleyball federation and other federations to ensure the development of sports in the country.
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Also speaking, the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Mr Musa Nimrod commended the present administration for their contribution to the development of the game in Nigeria.
He assured that the federation will do its best to ensure that volleyball is given pride of place in the country.
The delegation from the International Volleyball Federation(FIVB) was led by Mr Mushtaque Mohammed and included Hitesh Malhotra and multiple Olympic medalist and legend, De Good Amauri Giba.
More so, the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee(NOC), Engineer Habu Gumel, who is an Executive Committee member of the International Volleyball Federation, was also part of the visit.
