LOC Assures On Adequate Security

Fears of insecurity in the on-going 17th National Sports Festival (Garden City Games) holding in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital, have been allayed by the Local Organising Committee, (LOC) of the festival.

The chairman of the LOC and Rivers State Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru, who addressed journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday, assured the safety of all visiting athletes, officials and residents of the state during the fiesta.

Apart from state of the arts facilities for all categories of competition the LOC chairman, said adequate security measures have been provided to ensure a hitch free participation by all.

He said 17,000 police personnel and 10,000 personnel of the Joint Security Task Force were working with other security apparatus to provide adequate security during the event.

Part of measures for effective security check during the event, according to the LOC chairman, is thorough screening of all athletes, spectators at every venue of the festival.  He said additional 10 entrances had been provided at the Liberation Stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies will take place to facilitate easy screening, entrance and exit of participants and spectators.

The LOC chairman who expressed confidence over a successful outing in Port Harcourt, said, the 16,000 athletes and officials in the state, would be ambassadors of the state by giving positive testimony of the state, as against the hitherto negative insinuation of insecurity previously held against the state by many outsiders.

Engr. Ikuru, also promised a grand opening ceremony for the event.

Taneh Beemene