Ayegba Israel Ebije
30 September 2008
Minna — Nigeria is to host this year's Commonwealth handball games in Kaduna.
Disclosing this to newsmen in Minna yesterday, the Executive Director, Commonwealth Handball Asso-ciation, Malam Garba Dahiru said the decision to zone the competition was informed by the huge number of countries involved in the common-wealth handball association in Africa.
"We have agreed to stage the Commonwealth handball games zone by zone due to the fact that we cannot cover all the English speaking countries in Africa. The zones have been divided into West, East and South Africa" he said.
He said the decision to host the championship in Kaduna was as a result of the availability of indoor sporting hall in the state, stressing that the state has all it takes to host an international handball tournament in terms of facility and security.
According to him, Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State and his Niger State counterpart Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu have donated N5 million and N3 million respectively for the hosting the game.
"We have a cash target of N15m to host the game. We have been able to realize the sum of N8m from Governor Sambo of Kaduna and Gover-nor Aliyu of Niger State.
"Our doors are still open for more sponsors", he said.
Mal Dairu said the countries playing are Came-ron Ghana, Gambia , Siera Leon and host Nigeria. He said a total of 100 athletes and officials are expected to arrive Nigeria for the cham-pionship.
The six-day championship, according to Dairu will hold from October 6.
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