The Lagos State Government (LASG) on Tuesday said it would provide viewing centres in three locations, Ajegunle, Alimosho and Mushin, for the World Cup matches during Russia 2018.
Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commssion (LSSC), Kweku Tandoh, said this at the 2018 ministerial press briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministerial press briefing was in commemoration of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s third year in office.
Tandoh said that the state government considered providing the viewing centres due to the importance of football.
Nigeria is playing alongside 31 other nations in the world tournament, taking place from June 14 to July 15 in Russia.
According to Tandoh, the viewing centres will also give those who cannot afford to own a Pay TV decoder opportunity to view the matches.
“Lagos State government has concluded plans to construct viewing centres in three locations, Mushin Alimosho and Ajegunle, for the people in those areas to view the world cup.
“This will give opportunity to those that cannot afford the Pay TV to watch those matches live. This will give them a chance to watch those matches via the centres government will provide.
“We know the importance of football in the heart of the people, hence, the government has made the provision so that our people will enjoy the world cup,’’ he said.
Tandoh said that government knew the importance of grassroots football and would also continue to provide adequate support to the school sports.
“We will continue to provide adequate support for the school sports and developmental programmes that have yielded positive results.
“We have Joy Gabriel, a product of “Adopt a Talent’’ programme who has gone through and represented Lagos State at Nigeria School Sports Festival and also represented Nigeria at the just concluded Commonwealth Games.
“She won a bronze medal and also got to the semifinals in the individual 100 metres women race. Precious Okoronkwo was discovered during the Eko 2012 and has been representing Lagos.
“The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) sponsored the annual Ola-Oki Lagos Scrabble Competition last year; the objective was to improve students’ word power and intelligent quotient ,’’ he said. (NAN)