Young female wrestlers showing off their talents in a grassroots competition

The Rivers State gov
ernment has once again restated its commitment to grassroots Sports development and efforts to ensure that the state ranks as one of the best states in sports promotion and development in Nigeria.
This position was evident as representatives of the State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike presented a brand new bus to the Rivers State Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN and declared open the 2015 National full council meeting of SWAN, respectively, in Port Harcourt yesterday.
Speaking during the bus presentation at the Rivers State Government House, representative of the Governor, Chief of Staff, Chief Emeka Woke said that the presentation was in fullilment of the Governor’s promise to the association.
He recognized the role of SWAN in national and Sports development which he described as critical and declared that Governor Wike’s administration was focused and determined to partner the association in taking Sports development to the next level in the state and beyond.
Responding, the President of SWAN, Saidu Abubakar expressed gratitude to the Governor for fulfilling his promise and for being a man of his word.
Meanwhile, at the opening ceremony of the full council meeting, Commissioner for Housing, barrister Emma Okah, who represented the Governor also called for partnership with SWAN in the administration’s effort to bring back the glory days of the state.
He recalled some of the efforts that State has made him the few months of the Wike administration towards sports promotion and development.
“We call for your support, for encouragement and proper coverage so that the little efforts we are making will better appreciated”, he told SWAN.
He regretted the rot and decay that bedeviled sports in the state in recent past, especially, as it concerned the state football clubs, Sharks, Dolphins and Rivers Angels, who were not paid for months.
According to him, it takes sacrifice, commitment and sincerity and honest, to channel resources to fund sports.
Okah however, said that the government would continue to do its best in the way the Governor has began. “There’s no other option than to face the situation squarely”, he said.
He further assured that the government has a very robust package for sports development and intends to go back to schools sports to begin to fish for talents from the grassroots.
He also promised to convey to the Governor the high emphasis being placed on grassroots sports development by stakeholders in the state.