By Bassey Ibiatisuho
With less than three weeks to the commencement of the maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival, the Main Organizing Committee – MOC has expressed confident in the hosting capacity of Akwa Ibom State, following the quality of sports infrastructure available in the state.
The co-chairman of the MOC and festival consultant, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo stated this shortly after inspecting sporting facilities and hostels accomodation in select centres across the state ahead of the festival.
Conducted round by the State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, the committee inspected facilities at the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre – DASAC in Ikot Ada Idem, Ibiono Ibom, West Itam Sports Centre, Itu, Cornelia Cornelly College, Afaha Oku, Ultrafit Recreational Centre, Ewet Housing, Uyo Township Stadium and the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
Speaking to Journalists after the inspection, Ikpokpo lauded the efforts of the Akwa Ibom State government in sports infrastructural development, especially the quality of facilities at DASAC, emphasizing that the state was unanimously selected to host the maiden edition of the festival due to its huge investment in sports development.
“Akwa Ibom is a beautiful place, the facilities we have seen are in good condition and I’m sure we will use them to put together the best of competitions. The planning started over a year ago and we are in the execution phase right now. I can assure you that in the next two weeks all the facilities for the festival will be ready.”
He thanked the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno for accepting to host the festival which he described as Niger Delta Development Commission – NDDC’s contribution to sports development not only in the region, but the country in general, adding that the week long sports meet which will begin from April 1 with over 5000 athletes and officials expected, will have positive economic impact on the state.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey restated the readiness of the state government to host the sports festival and commended NDDC for rehabilitating some of the sporting facilities in the state, assuring that the ministry of sports under his leadership will ensure proper management and maintenance of the facilities during and after the sports festival.
Trials for the festival have started across the nine states of the Niger Delta and athletes will be expected to compete in 17 sports including football, basketball, tennis, table tennis, swimming, athletics, traditional sports, para-lifting, wrestling, boxing, volleyball among others.
