Mr Silas Agara, Director-General (DG) of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has tasked Nigerians to engage in regular exercise and sporting activities to ensure healthy living.
Agara made the call at the dinner and award night to climax and sporting activities organised for journalists by the Nasarawa State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Friday in Lafia.
The DG of NDE who was represented at the occasion by the Nasarawa State Coordinator of NDE, Mr Joshua Fagbami, said that the importance of sporting activities and exercise to individual health cannot be over emphasised.
He explained that even medical doctors often recommend regular exercise for persons with health challenges to facilitate their healing process.
On the sporting activities by SWAN, Agara commended the association for organising the activities for journalists in the state to keep fit.
Agara, Executive Committee Member of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Chairman Nigeria Nationwide League (NLO) therefore, promised partner SWAN to promote all sporting activities in order to avail citizens the opportunity to develop their skills.
On his part, Archbishop of Faith-Hill Prophetic Assembly, Prof. Emmanuel Jatau encouraged people both young and old to participate in sports and exercise regular for healthy living.
He explained that exercise help to burn calories and helps in the healing process for those facing certain health challenges.
The clergy said that Nigerians usually forget their differences during sporting activities because it is a great unifying factor.
Earlier, Mr Smah George, Chairman of SWAN in the state said that the competition was an avenue where journalists participate in different sports to keep fit and fraternise as well as make new friends.
The SWAN chairman further explained that journalists has participated in seven different sports in the 2024 SWAN-week competition.
The highlights of the event included presentation of prizes to winning teams as well as players and awards to deserving members and sports stakeholders. (NAN).