Rivers Hosts Schools Sports …Gets Thumbs Up On Facilities

Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital is to host the 5th National Schools Sports Festival, tagged ‘Rivers 2012’ between the 11th and 21st of next month.

This was declared yesterday by the President of Nigeria Schools Sports Federation, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed after a tour of sports facilities in the state.

According to Muhammed after inspecting the ultra modern Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex, Port Harcourt, “ the federal made the best decision by approaching Rivers State to host the festival.

The facilities here are excellent, all my years of traveling, I have never seen these standard of facilities seen at the Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium in any part of Africa. With these facilities, we are competing with Europe.

The federation’s president described the complex’s swimming pool and mainbowel as world class. He further said that schools sports is not just to play games and win, but to expose the Nigerian child to the vast culture, tradition and facilities around the country.

Speaking earlier, the state Commissioner for Sports, Hon Fred Igwe said that the sports policy of Rivers State is geared towards returning to grassroots sports development which starts from the family to communities, state and national level.

That, according to him is why the state governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi decided to host the 5th national sports festival, to enable the nation identify young talents and groom them to represent the country in the future.

Meanwhile, the schools sports boss, also called on the governor to take concrete steps to ensure that the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium complex is maintained adequately.

The governor has put on ground a wonderful structure to be treasured for the development of sports, it is one of the best in Africa and should be judiciously used and maintained”, he said.

It will be recalled that the state last year used the complex and other facilities to host the 17th National Sports Festival, tagged Garden City Games 2011, which was a acclaimed to be the best in the history of the festival.

Other venue visited yesterday by the federation include Alfred Diette Spiff Sports Complex, Liberation Stadium and Port Harcourt Club’s golf section.

Nancy Briggs

Rivers State Sports Commissioner, Hon Fred Igwe (right), President, Nigeria School Sports Federation, Malam Ibrahim Muhammad (left) and others, during the inspection of facilities at the Adokiye Amiesiemaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, yesterday