… Ministry partners Melon Production Ltd for Principal’s Cup

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has gone into a bilateral sports agreement with Italy’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture in a bid to create opportunities for youth through sports.

This agreement was sealed by the President of Italy-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture Mr. Silvano Bellinato and the Vice President, Olajide Ogodan, during a meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports

Development, Mr Sunday Dare, in Abuja yesterday.

“Your visit is timely and very important to the mandate of the ministry knowing fully well Italy just won the Euro 2020 days ago. I watched the match and saw great football artistry displayed at the expense of the Home Team England. It is part of the clear mandate of the ministry to engage our youth through sports,” Dare said.

The bilateral relationship will focus on establishment and support of existing academies; Italy-Nigeria football tournaments; exchange of players; training of coaches, referees, kits and equipment franchise.

According to the President of Italy-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mr. Silvano Bellinato, “Nigeria is a sports nation and we deem it fit to partner with the most populous Black nation in the world. Just within one week, Nigeria defeated USA; the world no 1 in basketball and Argentina, World no. 4.”

In the same vein, the ministry has gone into a partnership with Melon Production Ltd for the organisation of the second edition of the National Principal’s Cup.

Melon Production Ltd emerged headline partner following its success in the organisation of the just concluded Maltina Schools Games.

According to the Director of Grassroot Development of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Bode Durotoye, “The National Principal’s Cup is a baby of the ministry aimed at producing young talents that will do Nigeria proud in the future.

“The last edition was abridged because we just revived it, but this edition is scaling up to accommodate more schools for a longer duration.”