Promoter Tasks Stakeholders On Grassroots Sports Dev

A sports promoter in Rivers State, Mr Patrick Green has called on the state government and critical stakeholders to refocus on grassroots sports development in order to replace aging personnel and sustain achievements in different sports events.
Green made this call recently while speaking with Tide-sports at the Alfred Diette Spiff Sports Complex, Port Harcourt.
He noted the apparent neglect of the grassroots in recent time and the lack of quality talents and athletes to effectively replace the retired ones represent the state at competitions.
He therefore tasked the government to put in place a clear grassroots sports development policy that will encourage the discovery and training of young athletes for the state and nation.
The promoter regretted that despite the presence of sports facilities in the state, such as the Alfred Diette Spiff Sports Complex, Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex, the Tennis, Volleyball and Basketball courts in the old Port Harcourt Township axis, there has been no Concerted efforts to encourage young stars to use the facilities.
He believed that Rivers State should be one of the leading states in breeding athletes and sports competitions in the country.
Green further wondered why corporate organisations particularly, the multi- national companies in the state were not playing major roles in developing and promoting sports in the state, especially at the grassroots level.
He urged government to find a way of encouraging corporate organisations to invest and become partners in sports development and promotion in the state.
He also advised that all attention should not be focused on football as it has gotten its fair share of attention but that focus should be on other events like athletics, swimming, weight lifting, boxing and others where the state has comparative advantage.
“Football has always enjoy the lion share of attention given to sports, we have over 36 sports associations and I think that it is time for the so called lesser sports to be encouraged and given the necessary support to grow”, Green said.

Josephine Nsirim