17th National Sports Festival Shifted To June

President Goodluck Jonathan in a handshake with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoane Mashabane during her visit in Abuja, last Thursday.

President Goodluck Jonathan in a handshake with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoane Mashabane during her visit in Abuja, last Thursday.

President Goodluck Jonathan in a handshake with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoane Mashabane during her visit in Abuja, last Thursday.

The Main Organizing Committee (MOC) of the l7th National Sports Festival, tagged Garden City Games 2010, has again shifted further the games, citing under currents in the country’s political climate as reason.

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Patrick Ekeji, who made this known last Friday during a facility tour of the new Games Village under construction in Port Harcourt, said the games would now take place from June 29, 2011, exactly one month after the inauguration of a new government in the country.

Beside, the issue of the political climate, Dr. Ekeji, said marketers of the games also needed a shift to June, explaining, however, that arrival date for athletes would be from June 27th, 2011.

Dr. Ekeji said the committee was satisfied with the level of work put in place by the Rivers State Government in preparation for the games, compared to what was on ground during the MOC’s first and second inspections visits at the games village.

“We are impressed with the level of work, compared with what was on ground during the first and second time we came”, the Director General said.

He also disclosed that the MOC was introducing new innovations to the sports festival, saying that “all governors are expected to hoist their state flags in Port Harcourt one month before the commencement of the games”.

Dr. Ekeji, added that during the festival month, “all youths in Nigeria are expected to wear the garden city games T-shirts nationwide” as a way of promoting the festival.

The Director-General later led members of the Main Organising Committee of the games on a courtesy call on Governor Amaechi at the Government House in Port Harcourt, where Governor Chibuike Amaechi said, after due consultation with members of the MOC and the contractor, it was necessary for the games to be shifted given the current political atmosphere.

“You heard the contractor said the games village will be ready by the end of January. But the national festival MOC said even if the village is ready, the political environment is not yet conducive to host such a crowd pulling game”, Governor Amaechi said.

The governor while reaffirming the preparedness of the state to the competition, noted that work was going on, the stadium complex, and what was left was the fixing of the artificial turf, which he observed, would be completed soon.

The National Sports Festival earlier slated for November 2010, was later shifted to February 2011 and now to June 29 to July 9, 2011.