By Suleiman Abubakar Rimi Uku Lafia
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Youths and Sports Development has begun a state-wide inspection of sporting facilities to assess their condition and identify areas requiring urgent intervention.
Led by Committee Chairman Hon. Mohammed Garba Isimbabi, the team, accompanied by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Kwanta Yakubu, and his management team, visited facilities in Lafia, Akwanga, Keffi and other local government areas on Thursday.
During the tour, the committee declared a state of emergency at the State Sports Academy in Akwanga, citing dilapidated infrastructure and a poor learning environment despite the academy’s history of producing athletes of national and international repute.
Hon. Isimbabi also summoned the contractor handling the Akwanga Youths Centre to explain why the multi-million-naira project remains unused.
He further revealed plans for the Assembly to enact a law granting the academy full legal status to attract private investors and bridge infrastructure gaps.
At the Lafia Township Stadium and Youth Centre, the committee commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for recent renovations that meet modern standards, and called for the resuscitation of other facilities to boost revenue generation.
In Keffi, discussions centred on revamping the local stadium and youth centre, while in Karu, stakeholders and traditional rulers urged the construction of an international stadium to leverage the area’s proximity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its economic potential.
Responding to concerns over funding, Hon. Isimbabi assured that the state government is capable of executing such a project, noting that it has successfully delivered flyovers in Lafia, Akwanga and Keffi.
Speaking with journalists, Commissioner Kwanta Yakubu disclosed that the ministry is finalising both short- and long-term budgets for the governor’s approval to revive abandoned and dilapidated sporting facilities.
He stressed that sports is no longer just entertainment but a viable business sector with huge revenue potential, and pledged that Nasarawa would not be left behind.
During the inspection visits, the team also engaged with local government chairmen and the traditional ruler of Karu, as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and give the state’s sports sector a new lease of life.
