Buhari committed to Niger Delta development —Lokpobiri

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to develop the Niger Delta and all parts of the country.

Lokpobiri said this on Monday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, while officially presenting sports equipment to benefitting public primary schools.

The equipment was distributed to 41 public schools in the state by the National Lottery Trust Fund.

The minister, who was a special guest of honour and former Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development, said talent development was critical to Buhari’s administration.

Lokpobiri said, “We believe that talent development is critical to this administration and the Federal Government is ready to support our young children in primary schools to grow with the best of talents that are needed to win Olympics gold in the next few years.

“This programme is carefully designed to support public schools. I think that underscores the importance the Federal Government attaches to public schools.”

“Today is important because the president is committed to development of the Niger Delta and all parts of Nigeria. And that is why of 2,000 schools that are benefitting from this distribution of sports equipment, that was inaugurated by the vice oresident, 41 schools from Bayelsa are beneficiaries.

He also challenged the other tiers of government to support the Federal Government to ensure that development percolated all parts of the country.

The minister, who said lottery is a legitimate business, urged all Bayelsans, Niger Deltans and Nigerians to engage in it, adding that it could generate trillions of naira as well as job and wealth creation for the people.

“Lottery is not actually gambling, it is a legitimate business all over the world, it is a business that can bring trillions of naira to Nigerians,” he added.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, NLTF, Mr Habu Gumel, reaffirmed that Buhari’s government is passionate and committed to advancing, uplifting and promoting grassroots sports through equipping public schools with funding from the national lottery.

“We are confident that this intervention programme will ensure the discovery of new talents in sports that abound in our communities and rural areas and also assist their physical and professional development,” Gumel stated.

On his part, the Zonal Coordinator, NLTF, Mallam Adamu Rabiu, said the development was an impetus to change the fortunes of youths in sports and transform their social wellbeing for the better.