YSFON Ramat Cup: Kebbi team’s performance excites Commissioner, SSA

By Ifeanyi Eduzor
Despite his state’s failure to qualify for the semi- final stage of the on-going Ramat Cup, Kebbi State Commissioner for Sports, Honourable Aliu Bello says that the performance of the state in the U-16 championship is an evidence of what Governor Atiku Baguda is doing to develop grassroots sports in the state.
Kebbi State Thursday lost 4-2 to FCT by penalty shoot out after their game ended 1-1 at regulation time and Bello believes that the teams performance in the oldest, most popular and most glamorous grassroots football tournament in the country is a testimony of the good job is doing and must be appreciated for giving sports priority attention in the state.
” I’m particularly happy with what the team has done so far which shows an improvement on the part of the technical crew and players and I want to urge them to continue improving on subsequent outing until they bring glory the state.
” Its equally important to state that the result we’re getting today is because of the governor’s passion for sports. This is a governor whose love for sports made the state sign an MoU with coaches that will lead to the establishment of a football academy where talents would be harnessed for both league teams and the various national teams.
” Right now, the state has attracted FIFA goal project and the ultra modern state stadium will soon be commissioned”, he declared.
Speaking in the same vein Senior Special Adviser on Sports to the Governor, Babangida Seriki was full of praise to the governor for his support to grassroots sports development in the state; saying that prosperity will always remember him.
Seriki who also doubles as Kebbi State Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria ( YSFON) Secretary expressed confident that very soon the state will take back its rightful position in sports in the country even as he charged the team to remain focused as that’s the only way to success. Earlier in the day host Kano beat defending champion,Kwara state by 2-0 to book a semi- Final ticket. Other semifinalists are Ogun who ousted the El-Rufai boys by 13-11penalty shoot out after their game ended 3-3 at regulation time just as Gombe out scored their Jigawa counterpart 3-1 to to qualify for tomorrow’s semi.
However, all semi final matches will be decided tomorrow at the Kano Pillars stadium. With the grand finale scheduled for the Sani Abacha stadium, Kano, on Saturday.