Rivers, Edo State To Host National Sports Festival, National Youth Games Zonal Eliminations

Rivers, Edo State To Host National Sports Festival, National Youth Games Zonal Eliminations

Ibrahim Lateef

The South-South Zonal Directors of Sports have awarded hosting rights for the zonal elimination of team sports for the National Sports Festival and the zonal elimination for the National Youth Games to Rivers and Edo States, reports BSNSports.com.ng

The decision to give the hosting right for the zonal elimination of team sports to Rivers and National Youth Games elimination to Edo State was reached at the end of a routine meeting of South-South Directors alongside the Zonal Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in Yenagoa.

Arising from the meeting, the South-South Directors of Sports in a nine-point communiqué issued to newsmen, thanked the government and the good people of Bayelsa for hosting the meeting and the hospitality accorded to delegates.

They acknowledged the cooperation and support of members and called for sustenance to move the zone forward. 

They also appreciated the support and contributions of the governors of the States in the zone towards the development of sports.

According to the forum, the National Youth Games, which is for Under-15 athletes, urged States and Participants to observe all the laid down rules and regulations of participation to avoid age cheat.

The zone equally announced the hosting right of zonal elimination for the National Youth Games for team sports to Edo State, urging the zonal office to send a letter to the governors of both Rivers and Edo State for the hosting of the elimination.

The forum agreed that the zonal office would pay a courtesy visit to the States in the zone, pointing out that Cross River would host the next Director of Sports meeting on an agreed date.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the chairman of the South-South Zone, Director of Sports and host, Sir Braveman Wodi, asserted that the essence of the meeting was to discuss how to improve the fortunes of sports development in the region and as well as brainstorm on the upcoming sports event slated for this year.

Sir Wodi noted that the zone was working ahead of time to see the level of readiness of facilities that would host both eliminations; the National Sports Festival zonal elimination and National Youth Games elimination, noting that various items discussed in the meeting would strengthen the zone.

Also, the Zonal Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Essiet Obong Sylvester said they were in Bayelsa to synergize for the progress and development of sports in the zone due to this year's busy sports calendar stressing that they met to deliberate on the various programs coming up this year.

He explained that one of the reasons for the meeting was to decide on the State that would host the National Sports Festival zonal elimination and the National Youth Games elimination in order not to take the States unaware and as well as maintain the age range for the youth games.

Mr Sylvester urged the coaches to apply the principle of catching them young and not to depend on ready-established athletes, maintaining that the only way to curtail age-cheating was to go back to the grassroots and secondary schools.

In the meantime, the commissioner for Sports Development, Chief Daniel Igali has commended the South-South Zonal Directors for bringing zones to Bayelsa.

Chief Igali gave the commendation during a courtesy visit by the South-South Zonal Directors of Sports in his office in Yenagoa.

The Commissioner, who highlighted the importance of the zone in Nigeria, said the continuous dominance of the region speaks volumes about the zone due to the sustained support by successive governments. 

He pointed out that Bayelsa is striving to compete fairly in the championship and would not condone any form of doping to win which according to him is what the South-South region stands for.

In attendance were Benjamin Akabo Ibigon, Director of Sports, Rivers; Stephen Ekpo, representative of Directors of Sports, Akwa Ibom; Agbor Moses Ita, Director of Sports, Cross River; Mrs Efe Amenu, Director of Sports, Edo and Egwudiuzor Francis, Director of Sports, Delta State.