I was quietly and methodically going through my WhatsApp messages last week when I suddenly discovered this important information from one of my contacts. I thoroughly analysed the content and concluded its worthiness for publication, even though the sender handed it to me only for personal use alone. No it should be disseminated, in my opinion, because it has no harm or any implication but useful to the Kano State Government, which is responsible for the state’s sports progress. It is similar to a copy of a letter sent to His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governor of Kano State, even though it was not addressed to any specific person. But somehow it ended up in my mailbox. Thus:-
Need to Re-organise the Kano State Sports Commission
Among other things, the Kano State Sports Commission is tasked with developing, overseeing, and promoting sports in the state under the terms of the Commission Law 2016.
To ensure the smooth running of the Commission, it is suggested that His Excellency may consider the composition of Ten (10) man Governing Council as provided under Section 4 of the Kano State Sports Commission Law 2016 which comprises of a substantive Chairman, Administrative Secretary, three members representing each Senatorial zone of the state and other five (5) representative from Ministry of Education, ALGON, Higher Institution, Persons with disability and youth respectively.
His Excellency the Governor of the state is vested with the powers by the law to appoint some professionals and experienced sports personnel which are abundant in the state in the above positions.
Thereafter, the Governing Council should ensure the existence of Seven (7) Departments of the Commission and give them the necessary support and cooperation to discharge their respective responsibilities.
The Council should also engage with the various Sports Association in the state with a view to reviving their activities particularly as regard to sports development from the grassroots and empower/enlighten the Kano indigenes to engage in various sporting activities.
His Excellency may also wish to direct the Commission to present a comprehensive Sports Development Plan from the grassroots in order to pursue it vigorously so as to drive away our teeming Youth from other social menace.
The law also allows the Commission to consider creating three (3) zonal offices in the state based on the Senatorial zones to fast-track the implementation of the sports development plan at the local level.
This should also include other sports associations in the state like the Basketball Association, Handball Association etcc., doing that will no doubt hasten the sports development from the grassroots and do away with the present situation of centralization of sports administration in the centre.
All sports Units in our Local Governments should be energized and enlightened so as to become creative and manage sports at the local level.
His Excellency may wish to direct the Sponsorship and Marketing department of the Commission to be up and doing with a view to attracting and engaging prospective sponsors and come up with strategic plans on how various sports should be marketed to private sectors with a view to relieving some financial burden on the state government.
However, since the law was passed, the commission has only been led and operated by its Governing Council once, which has violated the statute. Since then, it has been managed by an interim chairman.
Provision, Maintenance and Safeguarding Sports Facilities
The author values and applauds His Excellency’s swift action to reclaim public assets and facilities, especially the Sani Abacha Stadium parking lot and the most recent renovation of the stadium’s playing turf. He hopes that this kind gesture will extend to other stadium areas, upgrade the current ones, and provide additional sports facilities throughout the state.
According to the author, the absence of adequate planning and the scarcity of sports facilities are two problems that hinder the growth of Kano’s sports; the more and better the sports facilities, the more activities and development there would be.
As previously stated, sports are essential to our students’ educational endeavors, so it became necessary to maintain and protect the football fields from complete destruction and encroachment. He documented widespread damage and encroachment of sporting facilities in the state, particularly football fields in different educational institutions.
In order to achieve this, he urged His Excellency to order the Sports Commission to conduct a thorough inventory of all of all sports facilities, including those in different schools and provide the governor with the report.
The governor should then ask the Commission to form a strong committee that would work with it to upgrade the After that, the governor needs to order the Commission to establish a capable committee that would collaborate with it to bring the facilities up to code and offer advice on how to prevent further deterioration and encroachment.
In order to conserve and maintain the facilities against more damage or encroachment, the author suggests that the KANO STATE SPORTS LAW be passed. Additionally, the government ought to grant tax exemptions or reductions to some private organizations that support or encourage athletic events within the state.
Mahaha Sports Centre
According to records, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the previous governor of Kano, established the Mahaha Sports Centre more than ten years ago. Regretfully, nothing has been added to the massive project since, and the building is now only a shell of its former glory.
In light of this, the author proposes that His Excellency take into consideration and oversee the building of a modern stadium on the left side of the center, while the right side is developed and used as a Games Village that will house all other sports and serve as a means of enhancing the state’s internally generated income in addition to being used for sports and other leisure activities.
If built, the stadium will complement the only two in the state (Kano Pillars Stadium and Sani Abacha Stadium). Kano State is expected to be ahead of all other states, although Lagos, Rivers, and others have more already.
In a similar vein, His Excellency might want to remember how the Kofar Nassarawa Basketball Court helped identify and nurture basketball players in the state in those days, although it is no longer in existence.
Given its advantageous position and historical significance, the author recommended that it be repaired and put to use. There is currently an area set aside for the basketball court’s reconstruction, but unfortunately work has halted since.
Moreover, facilities for other sports events should be constructed across the state as it is evidently clear that Kano Pillars F.C. has no befitting Players camp, training pitch and Secretariat of its own since its inception as such same facilities can also be provided in the eastern side of the Mahaha sports centre to conform to the Club’s status.
He is aware that the building structure is already there, what remains is only to renovate and put it in use. This will no doubt reduce the cost of running the club where a huge amount of money has been spent on accommodations and leasing of properties for the club.
In the alternative, the State Government may also wish to consider partnering with the Private sector to build the new stadium, considering the fact that Kano State is leading in sports followership nationwide.
The writer believed the Public Private Partnership in this regard will yield positive results and contribute more to the State Revenue generation.
Karfi Sports Institute
Another gigantic sports project initiated during the past tenure of His Excellency, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is the Karfi Sports Institute which has been left ideal and in dilapidated condition hence the need to revitalize it.
The Institute, which serves as a training ground for coaches and sports management, urgently needs His Excellency’s attention. A few of its facilities are in terrible shape.
The Institute’s curriculum and administrative apparatus need to be revised and reformed in order to make it acknowledged nationwide.
Through sufficient finance and appropriate oversight of its operations, it is necessary to link it with the National Institute of Sports, other sports institutes across the globe, and other universities in the nation that are most important.
KANO PILLARS FC
It is disturbing to note that Kano Pillars F.C. has been lingering with administrative problems for years which necessitate the state government to keep on changing its management committee.
This has cut across all segments of the team including players and other supporting staff which is detrimental to the progress of the team.
On this note, it is suggested that continuity should be allowed to prevail in the team by ensuring only experienced and capable sports technocrats are appointed for the team.
The state government is doing well in funding the team as record shows that it is one of the well-funded clubs in the country, only that the funds are not released as at when due.
However, the team’s financial crisis has been greatly exacerbated by the piecemeal release of the funds, which has also resulted in subpar performance.
In order to alleviate the issue, His Excellency should think about allocating the team monies in bulk or on a quarterly basis and putting in place sufficient auditing tools to guarantee adherence to pertinent financial standards.
Players’ padding, allegedly created by certain overzealous politicians, has been known to distract the team technically, resulting in the inclusion of some unsuitable players.
In order to find solution to this unwanted and unholy act, there is a need to reduce the pressure on the team by ensuring other teams in the state are inspired and the clubs owners are assisted financially to continue running their clubs so as to cater for these huge numbers of Youth players in the state.
Toward this, His Excellency may consider to continue with the annual tradition of giving financial assistance to the football clubs in the state participating in all the national and state leagues. This should also include club owners and sponsors in other sports.
In conformity to the International standard of managing professional football clubs, there is need to have a Technical Department in Kano Pillars distinct from the Technical crew which will among others saddled with the responsibilities of overseeing technical issues in the team including analysing player’s performance, evaluating and advising the team on present and future plan.
Also in order to compliment the efforts of government toward funding Kano Pillars, His Excellency may wish to set up a committee to inquire and monitor the players’ contract with the team as there are alleged conflict of interest and selfish trends by some football managers aimed to deprive the state government the benefit accruable in players transfer.
Since football is regarded as a contemporary and profitable business endeavor, it is essential to have appropriate and closely controlled player transfer transactions because they will significantly increase the state government’s revenue and lessen the financial burden of supporting the team.
I would like to propose that the team try to fully own its players with sufficient provisions for the team’s benefit at the end of each player’s contract with the team, rather than relying on players on loan with no clause to provide for the team’s financial benefit at the end of the contract.
Given the legal ramifications of the player’s contract and other club operations, I propose that the club establish a well-functioning legal department to handle all legal matters pertaining to the club’s operations.
This will reduce or eliminate legal liabilities on the club as it has been experienced in recent times.