Over 10,000 delegates representing the federal, state, and local government civil service are gearing up for the 42nd edition of the Federal Civil Services games scheduled to take place from the 4th to 14th of December, 2023, in Niger State.
Speaking at the flag-off of the bi-monthly morning exercise at the Legbo Kutigi International Center in Minna, the state capital, Salisu Abubarkar, the Head of Civil Service (HoS) in Niger State, disclosed that the state had been granted the honour of hosting the games by the Head of Service of the Federation. This decision was spurred by the directive from Governor Mohammed Umar Bago for the implementation of bi-monthly physical fitness sessions to prepare the state’s workers for the upcoming competition.
According to Abubarkar, the aim is to ensure that senior cadre civil servants are physically and mentally fit to carry out their duties effectively without any hindrance. He expressed the state’s commitment to reclaiming its former glory in medals won at the games, as they had been among the top medal-winning states in the past, only to gradually fade from the podium rankings.
Highlighting the significance of hosting the games, Abubarkar emphasized that the state is also looking forward to the socio-economic advantages that come with hosting the one-week event.
At the event, civil servants will compete for medals in a wide range of sporting activities, including football, handball, athletics, squash, karate, judo, scrabble, boxing, badminton, tennis, chess, and basketball.
The anticipation is palpable as Niger State prepares to welcome participants from across Nigeria for this exciting and hotly contested edition of the Federal Civil Service Games.
