Date: 2020-08-27

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq on Thursday lifted the restriction on non-contact sporting activities in the state as part of the gradual easing of the coronavirus lockdown.

AbdulRasaq announced this in Ilorin while hosting some officials of the Nigeria Football Federation led by its President, Mr Amaju Pinnick, before the official inauguration of the first Football House in Nigeria.

The governor reiterated his administration's commitment to the revival of sporting infrastructure to create a conducive environment for talents.

"We have since approved the reopening of non-contact sports as we gradually return to a new normal," he hinted.

These sports, he said, included Athletics, Table Tennis, Badminton, Squash Racket, Golf, Cricket, Softball and Baseball, among others.

The Football House was constructed by the Kwara Football Association.

The construction was with the financial support of the AbdulRazaq-led administration and Alhaji Abdulhakeem Usman-Mustapha, an Ilorin-born football enthusiast and President of the Appeal Committee, Confederation of Africa Football.

The Kwara Football Association Chairman, Abdullahi Idris, on his part, lauded the NFF for facilitating the building from Aiteo and thanked the state government for the continuous support to the sports sector.

Idris specifically commended the governor for approving the construction of the facility even before he ever met with the Kwara Football Association team.

"This shows that all the governor cares about, is fixing things for the good of our people," he said.

(NAN)