Bayo Onanuga, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, says there is the need for increased staff participation in sports activities in order to enhance their health and productivity.
Onanuga made the observation on Friday in Abuja when the agency’s sports team presented their trophies to the NAN management.
He said: “People need to unwind after work and that is why sports activities help workers to do better at work.
“It also keeps them fit and healthy.
“This is why we should engage more staff in sports so that we can have better performances in subsequent competitions so that they can showcase their talents, while being fit also.”
The NAN sports team had put up an impressive performance in the 2017 FCT SWAN Week Sports Competition, winning all available honurs in the male and female table tennis events.
The team also finished as runners-up in the five-a-side football competition.
Onanuga said: “The NAN management is proud of all the members of staff who participated in the FCT SWAN Week Sports Competition.
“They did the agency proud, even as they missed only a gold medal in the whole competition.
“I am not disappointed with your performance and I pledge that next year, we will do more to encourage sports participation in the agency.”
Onanuga promised to resuscitate the inter-departmental sports competition in the agency, saying it would help the staff to express their sports skills.
Earlier while presenting the trophies, the NAN Sports Team Coordinator, Olawale Alabi, had commended the agency’s management for its support to sports development in the agency.
Alabi said: “We thank the management for supporting the staff in embarking on this journey, in spite of our short notice on this competition.
“The management graciously supported us and this helped us to go far in the competition.
“Our team is proud to say that we came out as the overall best in the competition, winning two gold and two silver medals in table tennis for men and women.
“Due to some constraints, we narrowly missed the gold medal in the five-a-side football competition and we had to finish as runners-up.
“But we hope and pray to do better next time and we do hope that the management will continue to support us so that we can bring more glory to the agency.”
Also, a cross-section of the athletes expressed their appreciation to the MD on his support and his remarks, saying they were full of hopes that sports participation would henceforth get better.
“We are confident that the MD will lead the management into fulfilling his pledge towards the development of sports activities in the agency,” Tokunbo Adesanya, the male table tennis champion, said.
The event was attended by several NAN management staff, including Khadijat Lawal, the Director of Finance and Accounts; Biola Lawal, the Director of Marketing; and Mohammed Momoh, a Special Assistant to the MD.
NAN.
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