The Ondo State government has announced its plans to host this year’s under-17 football tournaments among secondary school students in the state.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon Henry Omoyofunmi, who disclosed this on Friday, said it was part of the plans of the government to revive the moribund Rising Stars, the feeder team of Sunshine Stars.

Omoyofunmi said the state government‘s resolve is to ensure all-around football development, along with the development of other sports in the state.

Speaking when he paid an unscheduled visit to the leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Omoyofunmi said he was happy that sports writers in the state were professionals and important stakeholders in the sporting sector and would be counting on their experience and expertise to help him develop sports in the state.

He said the state government, through his ministry, would also ensure the support of all gold medalists in the last National Youth Games through secondary education.

According to him, ”We are taking sports to the grassroots so that we will have enough players and athletes to replace the ageing ones. We have gotten approval for the U-18 football tournament to hold across the 18 local governments in the state to the zonal level before we hold finals at the centre,” he said.

The Chairman of SWAN, Segun Giwa, assured the commissioner of total support from the association.

Giwa urged the commissioner to operate an open-door policy and see members of the association as partners in progress.