By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Commissioner of Sports Development Kaduna State, Idris Nyam has disclosed that several proposals that will make stakeholders in the state smile to the banks are being studied and would soon be made public.
He expressed this, while speaking to sports writers on Thursday November 25 at the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development North West Zone Seminar on National Sports Industry (Changing the face of Sports in Nigeria) at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.
“We have received proposals and we are looking at how it will be feasible to ensure all benefit, athletes, sports writers, administrators,” he assured.
Represented by the Director Sports, Alhaji Yakubu Ibrahim, he said that the in thing all over the world is tapping into potentials of sports as a big revenue earner.
“In other parts of the world, they have been harnessing profits of sports as a business. In Nigeria, we have not been thinking that way.
“The Minister has taken a bold step to change the narrative and make it a business venture.
“The state government has also keyed into it,” he said.
According to him, they have developed their plans and are still getting more input and remain on course to harnessing the new policy by making sure sports becomes big business.
“We are doing so with Partnership with corporate organisations,” he added.
When asked if it is not too late to explore business potentials of sports, he said no time is late for innovations.
“It is not late starting it. If you look at developed countries, it took them them hundreds of years. If NIgeria keys into it now, it is not late,” he submitted.
On the second edition of the anticipated Kaduna Marathon which first edition debuted last year, he assured that plans are on to make it bigger this year
“All preparations are being made for second edition of Kaduna Marathon. We said it last year, it would be an annual event.
“We intend to expand it this year. We received commendations from several quarters and we intend making it bigger,” he assured.
