Infrastructural development is no doubt a necessity for the transformation of any city or state. Massive rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion of dilapidated and run down structures is one of the high points of the Rivers State Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike (CON) GSSRS.
It is a known fact that the Governor has injected well over 50 percent of the State’s capital budget into the funding of very critical infrastructural developments and other projects.
The Governor’s passion to make a change, has seen his efforts bringing to the fore hitherto forgotten and neglected sectors of the state. The impact of his infrastructural development is being felt in virtually every sector of the state.
Since assuming office on May 29, 2015, Governor Wike, a visionary leader has greatly devoted himself to the positive transformation of Rivers State, which obviously occupies a valuable position in a strategic region.
He has, without minsing words, sparked an infrastructural revolution at a time when the Nigerian economy is greatly challenged.
The vision of His Excellency will be better appreciated when we take a critical look at various sectors and specific developmental data often glossed over or outrightly down played, by the populace.
We can safely say that rhetorical recourse to impress is not feasible, rather there are focused action with tangible and remarkable results for all to see, feel, touch and access.
All infrastructural projects, have direct relevance to the economical development and well being of the people of the state. Today, we are going to take a look at infrastructural Development in Sports.
Take for example the Alfred Diette Spiff Civic Centre and the Sharks Football Stadium and the facelift it is currently undergoing, is just one of the infrastructural developmental strides. Football before now was the sole sport that occupied the front burner for a long time, Sports no doubt is a strong unifying bond creator worldwide, even enemies share arena when it comes to football, and other sports. It does not in any way remove from the importance and beauty of other forms of sporting activities.
A very key point in social development is Sports Rivers State thankfully has a very proud sporting history and notable personalities, whose names have been written in the sands of time. We have names like Adokiye Amiesimaka, Richard Owubokiri, Taribo West Joseph Yobo boxers like Dokiwari Duncan; table tennis star like, Ethel Jack, sprinters like Iyingiyikabo, just to name a few. But for long every other sports slipped into limbo even football, was quite epileptic.
Worthy of note, were sports festivals and competitions amongst primary and secondary schools, which gave rise to sports stars, who were groomed to the highest height, but it all fizzled out, probably due to two major factors, one was financial sponsorship and second was the dilapidated structures due to lack of maintenance. Such facilities like the Alfred Diette Spiff Centre and, the basketball Court in town and even the Yakubu Gowon Stadium were no longer conducive for such sporting activities.
In the last two years though, there have been notable advancement in Sports development, particularly infrastructure and human development. The Shark Stadium is wearing a brand new look, swimming pool and all the other facilities in the complex have been renovated and reconstructed to standard to enhance sports development in the State. The Alfred Diette Spiff Sports Complex is under serious overhauling, to make it fit for hosting indoor sports competitions, besides its importance to sports, the added aesthetic effect on the environment is worthy of commendation.
There is also ongoing in the complex, the construction of a forty bed hostel for sports men and women.
The General Yakubu Gowon Stadium has also been renovated and put into use, it now boasts of a functional indoor sports hall, floodlights, male and female hostels, office blocks, twin volleyball courts, tennis court, a diving pool, an automated water treatment plant to power the pools, an Olympic size swimming pool.
This administration has sponsored a lot of sporting activities to boost sports development, it has also empowered the state contingents to attend sports competition nationally. The state contingent participated in the National Youth Games in Ilorin in 2016, Para-Table Tennis classification in Lagos 2016, Chief of Naval Staff Swimming Championship in Calabar, 2016, CBN Wheelchair Championship in Lagos 2016, Nigeria Boxing Federation Open Championship Lagos 2019 and in 2017, the Judo Cadet and Junior Tournament in Port Harcourt as well as Tyroll and Thompson South-South under 18 male/female Handball in Port Harcourt. But most recently is the Governor Nyesom Wike National Wrestling Championships, which was quite a fanfare.
Also enjoying the sports largesse are the various clubs and teams in the state. The first notable achievement was the merging of the two state owned football teams. The Sharks Football Club and The Dolphins Football Club into a formidable team which was aptly renamed the Rivers United Football Club. this move is not only cost effective but also, has eased stress in the management of the teams. There is now adequate funds to manage the teams effectively.
The backlog of salaries and allowances have also been paid to the teams.
The female football team was not left behind, as they enjoy improved funding for all their engagements, they boast of producing nine players for the National Female team that won the African Women Championship of 2016 in Cameroun.
The moribund State Government owned Basketball Club, was resuscitated and are currently in the prestigious division one of the National basketball league. The backlog of entitlements were also paid in full by his Excellency.
The Rivers State Sports Council has been greatly empowered to participate in various sports events as well as organise their own sporting activities.
Besides, empowering the state teams to attend sporting events, the state Governor has also sponsored sport activities and these include the sponsorship cum partnership in the Go-Round/SWAN Senior Secondary Schools Athletic Championship in 2016. The Joseph Yobo Testimonial Cum Centenary Games in 2016, Victor Ezeji Testimonial Games in 2016. He also sponsored as well as hosted several international football matches in the state, sponsored Bukina Faso and Nigeria nations Cup qualifier match as well as the hosting of Nigeria Super Eagles qualifying match against Swaziland, and also sponsored and hosted the National under twenty three Football team continental matches in addition to camping the team.
The first Rivers/Bayelsa Wrestling Championship was also sponsored by the Rivers State Government this year. The SWAN, South-South hosting is an added feather to the already beautiful cap of the State Government.
And most recently, the bid for the hosting rights for the Senior African Wrestling Championship for 2018, was sponsored and won by the State Government.
The past two years has witnessed outstanding achievements in the Sports sector of the state, following the massive rehabilitation work. To the various sports personnel and the Sports Commission, the phrase “catch them young,” will definitely come to play. The morale of the athletes and sports administrators alike, will be highly boosted, with this, the State can eventually win laurels and boost income generation, with its world class standard facilities.

Juliet Njiowhor