Shell hails Shekarau over sports devlpt *Presents N2m to KTC
By ADO SALISU
SHELL Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited has expressed satisfaction over the way and manner Kano state government’s efforts have been helping sports development in the country.
The company’s external affairs director, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke stated this at the presentation of a cheque to Government College Kano, winners of this year’s Shell football competition held at ETF Community Education Resource centre, Gandun Albasa, Kano yesterday.
According to her, the support of the Shekarau-led administration to sports promotion and development, has greatly contributed positively to tremendous achievement in various events within and outside the country.
‘’We really appreciate the tremendous assistance given by the Executive Governor of Kano state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, morally and financially to the education ministry in all organized national competitions and we urge him to sustain the tempo ahead of future competitions.
‘’At the start of this championship, the SPDC Joint Venture promised to make a special contribution to sports development in the winning schools. We are therefore here today to present a cheque of one million, five hundred thousand naira only (N1 ,500,000) in fulfillment of that promise. This would be used for sports development in Government College, Kano. Earlier, each member of the College’s team had received N15,000 as winning bonus. It is our hope that the school authorities will utilize the money judiciously, and for the intended purpose,’’ she explained.
‘’When in 1998, The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and its Joint Venture partners agreed to begin sponsoring this competition, we were motivated by a clear vision and commitment to encourage the growth of the game of football, and the development of our youths. Looking back now, we are proud to say that our dream of grassroots development of the most glamorous sports in the country has started to bear fruits,’’ she further stated.
‘’Government College Kano was therefore only continuing in the great tradition of excellent performance by teams from the state. Undoubtedly, coming first out of the over 3,000 secondary schools across the country that took part in the 2007 edition of the competition is no mean achievement. SPDC heartily congratulates, Your Excellency, the staff and students of Government College Kano, and indeed the entire people of Kano State on this feat, and wish you greater achievements in the future,’’ she concluded.
Speaking also, the state commissioner of education, Dr. Tijjani Muhammad Naniya, said that the present adminstration has done a lot for the upliftment of sporting activies.
The commissioner who was represented by the state director Education Resource Department, Alhaji Tajudeen Gambo commended the organisers of the competition, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) the Nigeria’s oldest and largest oil and gas company for their vision on the youth of this country as the championship is a unifying factor for secondary schools.
Also in his speech, the principal of Government College, Kano, Malam Auwalu Ibrahim said that the school, apart from excelling in football, it also excels in various positions and disciplines in its capacity as an institution of academic learning.
‘’This is achieved through the effort of the whole heartedly dedicated team of staff. It might interest you to know that apart from being the 2007 National Shell Cup champions in football, Government College Kano was the state’s overall best WAEC result holder in 2005, and the state second overall best NECO results holder in 2006,’’ he said.
He then thanked the sponsors of the championship, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) whose effort brings about national unity from the grassroots, whose division brings about foresight in sports for sports administrators in the country.