The Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to youth empowerment through sports with the announcement of a South-East Regional Basketball Championship designed to discover and develop young talents across the region.
According to an official statement signed by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, General Musa made the announcement during a visit to the Umuahia Township Stadium at the end of his three-day official working visit to Abia State.
The Minister visited the inaugural multi-age basketball camp organised by the Crossover Foundation and sponsored by Nigerian diaspora basketball stars, Godsgift Achiuwa and Precious Achiuwa, where he interacted with participants and commended the initiative for creating opportunities for young athletes.
Describing grassroots sports as a vital tool for youth development, General Musa praised the collaboration between the Crossover Foundation and the Abia State Government in expanding access to sporting opportunities. To support the initiative, he announced an immediate donation of ₦2 million towards the camp’s operations.
He explained that the proposed South-East Regional Basketball Championship would bring together emerging players from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, providing a platform to identify exceptional talent and prepare them for higher levels of competition.
The Defence Minister also encouraged parents to support their children’s participation in organised sports, noting that athletics instils discipline, resilience, leadership and teamwork while fostering national unity.
As part of broader efforts to encourage youth participation in sports, General Musa disclosed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria would soon commence targeted sports recruitment programmes to provide talented athletes with opportunities to combine sporting excellence with military careers.
The visit concluded with the presentation of a signed basketball to the Minister by the organisers in appreciation of his support for youth sports development and grassroots talent discovery.
