WOMEN IN SPORTS: LASG RESTATES COMMITMENT TO GIRL-CHILD DEVELOPMENT
The Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu has restated the commitment of the government to use the instrumentality of sports to drive the development of the girl-child and women.
He made the statement at a Press Briefing organised to herald the pilot edition of the National Association of Women In Sports (NAWIS) Games, held recently at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba, Lagos.
Fatodu, who was represented at the event by the Head, Sports Facilities, Deji Aladegbemi, expressed his satisfaction with NAWIS for choosing the state of the aquatic splendour as the host city, adding that the Games will receive unwavering support and necessary aid from the Commission through the Associations during the event.
In his words, “We are taking sports in Lagos to another level. We will ensure that our athletes’ welfare is well taken care of and our coaches are given the right platform to improve on their capacity to deliver and to ensure that Lagos is back on top where it used to be”.
He commended NAWIS’s intervention in the sports ecosystem in regards to girl-child and women growth using sports to drive inclusion while offering them a platform to live their dreams, adding that it speaks to the Association’s indelible footprints throughout their existence as an organisation.
The Director-General further stated that the support will not stop and will continue to scale up to ensure that Lagos is always ready, in terms of sports development.
In her remarks, the National President of NAWIS, Prof. Mariam Adefunke Suleiman stated that the Association in Lagos State, has come to stay. Owing to its activities of giving helping hands, nurturing, growing and developing girls and women in sports who have the desire to achieve or carry their profession to a greater height.
Professor Mariam averred that NAWIS helps in scouting for talents, assists with the development of sports potentials and contributes to the overall development of sports adding that it also serves as an avenue for federations to prepare their players for future tournaments.
Tayo Popoola, President of NAWIS, Lagos State Chapter, reiterated the readiness of the Association to provide an enabling environment for the pilot edition of the multi-sports event to celebrate the uniqueness of the girl-child and women .
She said the NAWIS Games was designed to identify talents and women that can make the country proud, stressing that it is also an opportunity to engage the minds of the people for something meaningful while its positive contribution to athletes’ career progression is inevitable.
Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Cricket, Basketball, Sitting Volleyball, Badminton, and Handball are the approved sports for the pilot edition of NAWIS Games 2024 which kicked off on Thursday.