Alabo Boma Iyaye, the Executive Director Finance and Administration at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Friday charged the members of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) and Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) to organise a successful festival that will be a benchmark for the regions in the country.
Inside the unique conference hall featuring promotional banners of the games, the first in Nigeria, stakeholders oozed with enthusiasm and engaged in animated discussions of their expectations for the games.
Iyaye, who also is the Chairman of the committee spoke at the impressive ceremony for the inauguration of the MOC inside the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, remarked that the NDDC was marking its 25th anniversary with the first intervention in sports which is aimed at offering youths in the nine mandate states the platform to engage their minds and curb delinquent behaviours.
“The region is known for providing over 60 percent of sportsmen and women who represent Nigeria at international sports events and we have observed a decline in the numbers.
“The NDDC therefore resolved to reverse the decline by supporting the festival to offer the youths a platform to find expression for their talents”, Iyaye told the gathering which included Sports Commissioners from the nine member states.
He assured the youths that the Commission will not relent in supporting the festival in the future to sustain a steady discovery and nurturing of identified talents.
Daniel Igali, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports and Chairman of the NDDC body of states Commissioners for Sports, commended the Commission for the initiative which he said will enable the states to reclaim their front line role in contributing champions to the country’s sports contingents in all games.
Co-Chairman of the MOC, Itiako Ikpokpo assured the NDDC that the Festival is on course to meet and surpass set objectives.
“We are at the very important stage in the implementation of the festival plans. Facilities are being renovated and upgraded. Members have been up and running to ensure a resounding success for the festival which promises to be high in the quality of organisation”, he promised on behalf of the members.
The nine state’s Commissioners of sports are members of the MOC which also has some management staff of the NDDC, a representative of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and those of Dunamis Icon, consultants to the project.
Over 3000 athletes, 600 coaches and 500 officiating officials are expected at the festival which holds from April 1-9 in Akwa Ibom State.
