By; PAMELA EBOH, Awka
Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra State chapter has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to give the people of the state a football club of their own like other states of the federation, especially now that there is a top notch facility in the state for that purpose.
It also called for the revival of the sports culture for which Anambra State is known through the activation of Inter-House Sports, School Sports and State Sports festival as a spring board towards the revitalisation of the sector in the state.
This was contained in a communique by the organisation at the end of its monthly congress in Awka, jointly signed by the state Chairman, Tony Oji and Secretary, Patrick Anaso respectively.
It congratulated Gov. Soludo, who has entered the record books as the fifth Executive Governor of the state on his victory and assumption of office as the Governor of Anambra State and also hailed him for his untiring efforts towards restoring security and social stability in the state.
The nine point communique partly reads, “SWAN calls on the administration in the state under Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for the setting up of a Stadium Management Committee for the facility to ensure proper management and maintenance of the facility for profitable use and sustainability.
“It is our considered opinion that giving attention to sports and making adequate investment in the sporting sector will go a long way in complement efforts at ensuring peace in the state because of the alternative and opportunities it provide for the teeming youth population”, the communique added.
“That SWAN is grateful to the past Anambra State Government under His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, for constructing the Awka City Stadium pitch, which had been adjudged as one of the best in the country at the moment.
“The stadium is not only befitting of the status of Anambra state as the foremost sporting state in Nigeria, it has also helped to create a budding sports economy which should be sustained.
“SWAN calls on the administration in the state under Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for the setting up of a Stadium Management Committee for the facility to ensure proper management and maintenance of the facility for profitable use and sustainability..
“SWAN, calls for a proper constitution of the Anambra State Sports Development Commission, ANSDC, according to the organogram in its Establishment Act for optimal planning, implementation and output in the sports sector.
“We call for the revival of the sports culture for which Anambra State is known through the activation of Inter-House Sports, School Sports and State Sports festival as a spring board towards the revitalisation of Sports in the state.
“We call for regular training and retraining programs for Anambra State athletes and technical officials as well as participation in national and competitions”, the commute signed by Anthony Oji, Chairman, Anambra SWAN, and Chimezie Anaso, Secretary, concluded.”
It further stressed that giving attention to sports and making adequate investment in the sector will complement efforts at ensuring peace because of the alternative and opportunities it provide for the teeming youth population.
While deliberating on the state Of Sports in the state, the body of Sports writer said Governor Soludo can restore the state’s pride of place in national and international sports with proper harnessing of the sporting potentials of the youths especially now that an ultra-modern sports stadium has been built in Awka, the state capital.
