Sports Commissioner Inaugurates Committee For Sports Dev

In a bid to develop sports in Rivers State, the State Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Boma Iyaye has inaugurated a seven-man inter-ministerial special committee on sports development, in his office, yesterday in Port Harcourt.
Hon. Iyaye charged the committee members to work out a blueprint on how to promote and develop other sports in the state.
According to him, the committee is mandated to work out how primary, secondary schools competition would be organised as well as inter-local government sports competitions.
“This committee is primarily inaugurated to work out a comprehensive blueprint on how to develop and promote other sports in the state.
Your report should also include  how to organise primary and secondary schools sports competition as well as inter-local government competition. This will improve grassroots sports development”, Hon. Iyaye said.
The sports ministry boss explained that it is not that the ministry does not promote and develop other sports in the state.
“The insinuation in the sports world saying that the ministry does not promote and develop other sports is not correct, because we have facts and evidence that show that every month, the ministry spends money for sports like boxing, kickboxing Torekwando etc to attend competitions outside the state”, he stated.
He equally said that it is not true that the ministry concentrates on only football, but the fact is that there is no way athletics and football will get the same attention.
“Another problem is that the failure to host National Sports Festival (NSF) also affected the development of other sports generally in the country.
But in Rivers State, we will continue to develop and promote other sports”, he added.
The commissioner further gave the committee on or before 30th of this month to submit its report.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the committee who is also the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sir Michael Nnodi, said the committee’s inauguration came at the right time, to properly engage the youths meaningfully.
Sir Nnodi pledged that his committee will effectively and efficiently abide by the stipulated date.
Other members of the committee are Joshua J. Kio, Director of Sports Institute, Nathaniel Piaro, Director of Sports Council, Nwaka, Ag. Director of Stadium Authority, Pst. Austin Jonah, Head of Sports Unit (MOE) while, Godwin Ogan, Director of Sports Development will serve as secretary.

Tonye Orabere