FIFA Confederations Cup: Spain happy to tackle Super Eagles

President of the Spanish Football Federation, Angel Maria Villar Llona said they are happy to tackle the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil in June.

Spanish national team celebrating the European victory

Llona stated this when he congratulated the Super Eagles of Nigeria for their outstanding victory in the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in South Africa.

In a letter dated 11 February, Llona congratulated Alhaji Maigaria and the NFF for the triumph, saying: “The Super Eagles are back and all the football supporters are happy for that. Please forward also the congratulations of the Spanish football to the players, technical staff and all the people involved with your national team in this wonderful victory.

“We are looking forward to seeing the Super Eagles at the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil in June.”

African champions Nigeria play Oceania champions Tahiti, South American champions, Uruguay and World and European champions Spain at the FIFA Confederations Cup starting in Brazil on 15 June.

Great to see Super Eagles as Africa’s strongest - Blatter

The president of world football-governing body, FIFA, Mr. Joseph Blatter said it is great to see the Super Eagles back as one of Africa’s strongest footballing nations.

FIFA President, Sepp Blatter

He made this assertion when he congratulated the NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari on the success of the team at the just-concluded 29th Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa.

In a letter dated 14th February and addressed directly to Maigari, Mr. Blatter eulogized the NFF President and wrote, inter alia: “Allow me to offer you my warmest congratulations on Nigeria’s triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations last Sunday – your third title overall and your first for nearly 20 years. It is great to see the Super Eagles back as one of Africa’s strongest footballing nations.

“Please convey my warmest wishes to all of the players, the technical and medical staff, and in particular to Stephen Keshi – only the second man to lift the trophy as both captain and national team coach.

“Stephen is a great example to other African associations of what they can achieve through long-term planning and employing local coaches, and I commend your appointment. I would also like to extend special greetings and thanks to the Nigeria fans present at the final, whose support not only willed their team on to victory but also lit up the match as a spectacle.”

Use football to fight terrorism – Kawo

The chairman of the Nigerian Nation-Wide League, NNWL Alhaji Ahmed Kawo has urged various governments in the country to use football to fight terrorism in the country.

He made this assertion when he addressed the media on the NNWL readiness for tomorrow’s league at the Westpoint Hotel, Abuja.

Action from the Nationwide League

Kawo said the victory at the just-concluded African Cup of Nations, AFCON has shown that we can achieve greatness in football especially in the league, if only government can channel more resources into football.

He noted that there is need to use football to fight terrorism that is why they (NNWL) chose the theme: “Using football as a tool for fighting current challenges facing our country.”

The NNWL chairman further disclosed that the congress will centre on designing the roadmap for the league. “We want to sanitise the league. Unless we sit down and address the problem confronting the league, we may not be able to achieve our aim. Private sectors are ready to sponsor the league but because of the crisis confronting our football, they are reluctant to come, at this level, we don’t need crisis.” he added.

Benin-Ofosu dual carriageway to be completed soon – minister

Benin-Ofosu road under construction

The Federal Ministry of Works said the reconstruction of the Benin-Ofosu end of the Benin-Ore-Shagamu-Lagos Dual Carriageway will be delivered before the end of 2013.

This disclosure was made by the Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen while conveying the National Good Governance Tour Team, led by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, on inspection tour of the road from Benin City.

According to him, the road which begins from Kilometre Zero (Km 0) on Dawson Road in Benin City was awarded to Messrs. Reynolds Construction Company Limited and is 91.30 per cent completed.

The road which is 75.87km in length forms part of the Transnational Highway that leads to the Atlantic City of Lagos and links Nigeria to Mombasa in Kenya.

“The reconstruction work achieved so far on this road, has reduced travel time of commuters from about 10 hours to 4 hours as they travel from Lagos to Benin and vice versa. It has also reduced the carnage and loss of properties on this route,” Onolememen said.

The Minister recalled that the reconstruction work forms part of the 1,000km of reconstructed Federal Highways added to the Federal Highway network in 2012 by the Federal Ministry of Works.

On his part, the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, noted that the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Works forms part of the agenda of the present administration to transform the road sector and deliver safe and good motorable roads to the Nigerian publics.