NDSF will reawaken sports development in Niger Delta, says Ikpokpo

• MOC to be inaugurated Friday
The Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF), which will begin on April 1, will energise the sports development efforts of the nine states slated to feature in the event, consultant to the games, Itiako Ikpokpo, has said.

The Niger Delta Sports Festival will see the nine states of the region, including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers, competing for honours in 17 events.

Speaking on the essence of the competition, Ikpokpo said the NDSF, which is part of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is set to take sports in the region to the next level, after its strides in infrastructural development.

He said that the event, which will end on April 8, would produce talented athletes who will go on to become global stars.

“The Niger Delta used to produce most of Nigeria’s top athletes but today there’s a dearth of talents. The NDDC, after their huge strides in infrastructural development, agreed that it was time to give sports the focus it desired in the region to produce the desired talents in that area of our national life.

Ikpokpo said that the NDSF would feature over 3,000 athletes, who are aged between 16 and 25, and of Niger Delta heritage.

“We want to achieve the purpose of starting the games, that is why we have fixed participating athletes ages between 16 and 25. There are modalities to check age cheats and those caught will be disqualified and their states fined,” Ikpokpo said.

He continued: “Those who do well at the event should be able to attend competitions in Nigeria, Africa, and globally.”

He said that the festival would begin at the local councils and state trials before athletes converge on Akwa Ibom, the host state, for the Games proper.

Meanwhile, the Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the festival will be inaugurated on Friday at the NDDC Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Ikpokpo, who is chairman of the Project Consultant, Dunamis Icon, revealed that the inauguration of the MOC is coming in the wake of the inauguration of the state liaison committees for the nine states expected to participate in the festival.

He said: “Work will start this week on facilities where there are challenges. All the relevant committees were set up when the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, graciously accepted to play host.

“The chairman of the Main Organising Committee is one of you, a three-time sports commissioner (in Rivers State) and currently the Executive Director, Finance/Administration of the NDDC, Alabo Boma Iyaye. I co-chair the committee that will be inaugurated on Friday. We’ve set up state liaison committees that are already functioning to ensure the process that will lead to the state trials. There will be trials at the local council and state levels to produce competing athletes before the festival in Uyo.”