ANAMBRA SIGNS SPORTS FINANCING PARTNERSHIP, AS SWAN URGES SOLUDO TO WELCOME SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES

REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE

The Anmbra State Government says it has signed a Sports Financing Partnership deal with a consulting firm to implement Sports Development Programmes in the area.

The Chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission, Patrick-Estate Onyedum, made this known while speaking with sports journalist in Awka on the achievements of the Soludo Government for the sports sector in the last one year.

Mr. Onyedum said Anambra State would be one huge sporting arena with the development of the Anambra State Sports Solution Initiative (ASSI), which is the Special Purpose Vehicle for driving sports in the state with robust private sector involvement.

He noted that the private consortium would implement a four year programme under the Anambra State Sports Initiative in line with Soludo’s desire to get the private sector involved.

According to Mr. Onyedum, the State Government has given consent to Onitsha Business School, organizers of Onitsha City Marathon, to stage the second edition of the run later this year (2023).

He noted that the new administration was making progress but was first putting the administrative structure in place through a general overhaul of the Commission before moving to the field event.

“We now have our financing partnership, we have a project vehicle, we have set up the administrative structure such that every part of the Commission from chairman to directors, coaches have to understand and play their role in the system,” he explained.

The Sports Commission Chairman said under ASSI, the state plans to get no fewer than 10,000 Anambra State athletes in the field as there would be primary and secondary school sports, tertiary institutions games and out of school sports to harness talents in the communities and markets across the state.

Mr. Onyedum hinted that Sports Infrastructure would also get attention as plans were already underway to develop the Park B section of Awka Township Stadium, upgrade Ekwulobia Township Stadium and siting of sports facility in each of the three Senatorial zones in the state.

The Commission Chairman said the progress made so far was because Governor Soludo gave his political support to sports and wanted to see the sector develop in terms of business and empowerment for youths.

Meanwhile, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra State chapter has congratulated Prof. Chukwuma Soludo on his one year anniversary in office as the Governor of the state.

The Chairman of the Association, Mr. Tony Oji, who spoke with Radio Nigeria, after the one year anniversary celebration at the International Convention Centre in Awka, expressed worry that Soludo did not mention activities in the sports sector as part of his achievements and prospects.

Mr. Oji lauded the exploits of team Anambra at the 21st National Sports Festival in Delta State, where the athletes won a total of 39 medals, including 6 gold, 9 silver and 24 bronze.

He said it was expected that the one year anniversary event would be the best time for the Governor to specially welcome the team and showcase to the public the success being recorded in the area of sports.

SWAN therefore called on the Governor to receive the team that represented Anambra at the National Sports Festival and reward the deserving athletes and coaches as one of them had received an invitation to represent Nigeria in Canada later this year.

The SWAN Chairman, however, commended Governor Soludo for appointing a qualified sports personality as Chairman of the Anambra State Sports Development Commission, noting that he had implicit confidence in the ability of the management to deliver if given the needed support.

The SWAN boss urged the Soludo led administration to take sports as its pet project and fund it adequately, in the interest of teeming talented Anambra youths.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo during the one year anniversary event, gave his score card so far and his government policy direction without the specific mention of sports, which stakeholders identified as one of the ways to curb insecurity by engaging the youths meaningfully.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU