New Commissioner Vows To Diversify Sports Dev

The new Enugu State Commissioner for Sports, Joseph Udedi says he intends to diversify sports in the state so as to develop other sports and not football alone.
Tidesports source gathered that many observers had expressed the view that before now the Enugu State Government had been more interested in football development.
They had argued that the government had focused more on Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, more than any other club in the state.
Udedi however told newsmen in Enugu at the weekend that he would give great commitment to other sports in order to support the development of athletes in those sports as well.
He said the state would fine-tune its efforts in the other sports it had been doing very well in.
The commissioner added that the state government would not forget those sports it had comparative advantage over other states in the country and beyond.
“We are looking at harnessing our great potential in the throwing sports, which include javelin, shot put, discus and hammer.
“We will also concentrate on the combat sports, which include traditional wrestling, free-style wrestling, normal wrestling, boxing and kick-boxing.
“Also, martial art sports, such as karate, judo and taekwondo, will be given due attention,” he said.
Udedi explained that the new thrust would enable the state win more medals at the zonal, national and international sporting meets.
The commissioner said the Ministry of Sports would soon come out with a new bottom-up road map on sports development.
He said this would ensure that raw and rural talents were discovered, followed up and groomed to get the best for the state.
“The ministry will be coming out with a robust plan to harness raw talents in remote areas and help to bring them to limelight,” Udedi added.