By Daily Sports on March 2, 2018

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has

called on the private sector and philanthropists to support the game

of golf in order to raise the prize money and attract

internationally-acclaimed golfers to play in Nigerian tournaments.

The Minister, who made the call at the opening of the 2018 West

African Golf Tour at the IBB International Golf and Country Club,

Abuja, on Thursday, observed that the current prize money of $50,000

for both Lagos and Abuja tours will not attract top class professional

golfers to Nigeria.

He said countries stand to benefit greatly from sporting activities,

hence the need for the government and the private sector to tap into

the enormous opportunities that golf presents, and to support the West

Africa Golf Tour in developing the game.

Alhaji Mohammed stressed the need to leverage on golf and other

sporting activities to promote tourism and showcase Nigeria to the

rest of the world.

"The West Africa Golf Tour speaks for the commitment that I hold, as

the Minister of Information and Culture, for the promotion of

Nigeria's rich tourism potentials. It showcases Nigeria to the world -

our golf courses, natural surroundings and cities as well as our

culture, thereby putting Nigeria, West Africa and Africa in the

limelight and helping to advance

the efforts to improve our image and economy," he said.

The Minister encouraged the golfers to go beyond the competition and

consider the tournament as another platform to further strengthen the

bond of unity that exists among the people of the West African

sub-region and the continent in general.

"On behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, I would like to

welcome you all to our great country. Certainly, each of you will pit

your skills and talents against your opponents. But I encourage you to

go beyond competition to also showcase talent and to come closer to

each other. This initiative is a clear example of how sports also

contribute to integrating people within Nigeria, West Africa and

across the continent," he said.

The ongoing West African Tour has attracted golfers from Nigeria,

Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, Senegal, Germany, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

•Photo shows the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed

(middle); the President of the West African Golf Tour, Mr. Emeka

Okatta (left), and a former Captain of the IBB Golf Club, Mr. Hamid

Abbo (right), during the tee off of the 2018 West African Golf Tour at

the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja on Thursday.

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 2, 2018

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