In his untiring efforts at sports development in Edo and meeting the target of raising
ten thousand grassroots athletes in five years among other plans, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Friday, inaugurated thirty-one Sports Associations’ executives.
Inaugurating the various associations which have the likes of Uyi Akpata (President National Cricket Association), Governor Obaseki asserted that the Edo Sports Commission’s programme and objective of discovering and nurturing 10,000 athletes, which at implementation will make Edo State a sports tourism destination, is realizable with the right professionals already assembled to form the bedrock of sports administration in the state.
He charged them to team up with the Edo State Sports Commission led by Olympian Yusuf Alli in the vigorous pursuit of government sports programme in the state.
The sports loving Governor who described sports as a veritable tool in boosting the socioeconomic life of Edo people, restated his commitment to completing all ongoing sports infrastructure projects in the state as parts of the strategy to oil the wheels of progress of the Edo State Sports Commission.
“Go and and work tirelessly to achieve the mandate given to you and the Edo Sports Commission by discovering young athletes from the grassroots and nurture same to stardom,” Governor Obaseki charged the Sports Associations.
Recall that the Governor Obaseki led administration, on assumption of office, announced that one of its cardinal objectives was to revamp the state’s sports sector, starting with the reconstruction of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and other sporting facilities across the state.
Also speaking during the inauguration ceremony held at the new Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City, the Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu said: “The inauguration of these thirty-one sports associations by Edo State Governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki whose mandate is to constitute the bedrock of sports development in the State is to kick start work immediately.”
Comrade Shaibu explained that the inauguration of the thirty-one sports association is a milestone in the new vision in sports development as it will solidify the foundation of sports in the state.
Speaking on behalf of other members of the newly Inaugurated Sports Associations, President National Cricket Association, Uyi Akpata, promised the Associations’ commitment to delivering on their mandates, assuring that they would not betray the confidence reposed in them.
In their separate remarks, the Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Yusuf Alli, and the Permanent Secretary, Sabina Chikere, noted that the Sports Associations will help the Commission to develop sports from the grassroots level.
The thirty-one Sports Associations include Athletics, Aquatic, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Chess, Cricket, Cycling, Dart, Deaf Athletics, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Karate, Kickboxing, kongfu, Para-athletics and Rugby.
Others are Scrable, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis Wheel Chair, Traditional Sports, Volleyball, Weight Lifting, Wrestling as well as Parapower Lifting.
