17th NSF: Rivers Promises Magnificent Opening Ceremony

Rivers State is poised to deliver a magnificent opening ceremony of the 17th National Sports Festival that will certainly hold all spell-bound and remain evergreen in memory for a long time to come.

The state Deputy Governor and Local Organisng Committee chairman, Engr Tele Ikuru made this promise during the opening session of the first meeting of the heads of delegation to the Garden City Games at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt. He disclosed that  President Goodluck Jonathan will be the special guest of honour at the ceremony scheduled to begin by 6pm on Sunday at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt. According to him, logistics  had been put in place to transport all the athletes to the stadium from the games village and ensure all were seated before the President arrives the venue.

He reiterated Rivers State Government’s commitment to guarantee a good and memorable 17th National Sports Festival many Nigerians would not forget  for a long time to come .

He said Rivers State Government’s main reason for hosting the 17th National Sports Festival was to disabuse the minds of Nigerians of the alleged insecurity situation in the state and serve as a means to showcase the cultures, friendship and heritage of the good people of Rivers State.

He said the state was safe for all to go about their businesses as additional 10,000 members of the Joint Task Force and other security apparatus had been put in place.

The Chairman of LOC cautioned the heads of delegations to control their teams. He said “anyone caught by the law will bear the consequences of the law because there is no meeting point between crime and sports”. He encouraged them to take the games as their own responsibility and act like ambassadors of the festival.

He told delegates that 100 caterers were employed to cook for the athletes who had been given meal tickets for each meal while new pillow cases, forms, two bedsheets, plates, cutleries and cups were also provided  for the athletes.

He said additional logistics had also been provided as the LOC had ensured that one bus was given to every State for ease  movement.

Women judokas from Anambra and Benue States in contest yesterday at the ongoing 17th National Sports Festival, Garden City Games, 2011