18th NSF: Rivers ’ll Win Again –Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi is upbeat that Team Rivers will win the 18th Festival slated for Lagos later this year.

Amaechi gave the indications while receiving the final report of the 17th National Sports Festival, “Garden City Games” from the Local Organising Committee (LOC) headed by the Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru, Monday at Government House , Port Harcourt.

Commending the Engr Ikuru led LOC, Rt Hon Amaechi said the success of the sport festival was unprecedented, novel; and attributed the smooth organisation of the games to team work.

He however tasked the committee not to rest on its oars as he urged them to commence earnest preparations to retain the title of the games.

Amaechi said, “the reason we want to win again is to show the whole country that we can win here and win everywhere”.

Continuing, he said, “we will retain this cup again in 2012 by God’s grace and the competitive spirit of our people we will win”.

The governor urged the committee to liaise with the sport authorities on preparation, while lauding them for their financial prudence, assuring them of government adequate appreciation.

He especially thanked the Deputy Governor for his diligence and for organising a world class event, “ we are the team to beat not because of the medals but because of the organisation.

Earlier, the LOC chairman, Engr Tele Ikuru averred that despite the initial hiccups and challenges, the committee was able to surmount all to organize a world class sport festival.

He stated that the Garden City Games attracted a huge number of athletes and tourists from all the 36 states and beyond and therefore praised the governor for providing the financial support to ensure success.

With a budget of about N4billion, he stated that the committee was able to raise about N267million from sponsorship and marketing.

A breakdown of the expenditure according to the deputy Governor, include payment to over 1,400 athletes to the tune of N1.2billion, camping, totaling N500m while the opening and closing ceremonies cost N875million.

Engr Ikuru also disclosed that the body spent about N865million on the 11,400 athletes, with a miscellaneous expenditure of about N135million.

Despite the huge expenses, Ikuru said that a balance of about N575million was being returned to the state coffers, adding, I want to place it on record that this committee is returning about N575million, a balance from its expenses”.

Senegalese striker (middle) being sandwiched by Cameroonian opponents during the African Olympics qualifiers