The Executive Director Finance and Administration at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Alabo Boma Iyaye, 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 ther 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 is also 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 per cent 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.
Over 3000 athletes, 600 coaches and 500 officiating officials are expected at the festival which holds from April 1-9 in Akwa Ibom State in 17 select sports.
