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17th NSF: Rivers Is Hosting To Win – Director
Rivers State Sports Director, Sir Daobu Harry, says the State is hosting to win the on-going 17th National Sports Festival, tagged ‘Garden City Games’ 2011.
Harry who was speaking in Port Harcourt said, everything that ought to be done had been done to ensure a hitch-free sports festival and ensure the state comes out tops at the end of the festival.
Based on the level of preparation for the games, he said, he was sure that the state would win, adding however, “we’re saying, we’re hosting to win but not hosting to win by all means, but by the rules of the game”.Harry provided insight into why the government undertook the construction of a new facility for the games, when he said, “… the Executive Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has the vision, his vision is: “we would not want to host the National Sports Festival with debilitated facilities and old facilities. He wanted to host this games in a new facility, a new stadium for the whole of Rivers people”.
The Sports Director said what the state stands to gain by hosting the games when he drew our correspondent’s attention to the new Games Village, saying that “these facilities will be one of the benefits that we have gotten through the National Sports Festival. Anybody who sees the stadium will know why we hosted the National Sports Festival. He insisted that the imposing stadium will speak for itself as one of the gains Rivers State recorded in hosting the games.
In addition, according to the sports administrator, there will be a lot of economic activities in the state within the period of the festival because the 36 states and FCT Abuja had come into Rivers State with money to spend in the state. As a result, he contended, “you can see that many Rivers State indigenes will be economically empowered. Of course, athletes that will represent the state will make a fortune, economic fortune out of it, (especially since most of them will have one thing or the other to fall back on after the festival in particular those that will win medals, so you can see that the state has a lot to gain”.
By hosting the festival, Harry said Rivers State under Amaechi was also sending a message across to the international business community that the state was very safe for national and international programmes and a haven for investments. Through the festival, he sai the state would earn international confidence and more expatriate companies and investors will want to do business in the state.
He also gave a message to Rivers people: “Well, the game is not for the Governor alone, not for the state Executive Council alone, not for PDP alone, not for the Rivers Sports Council alone, not for the LOC alone, the game is ‘Rivers game’ and ‘Nigeria’s game’ so we’re calling on everybody to support this game, and not only to support but come out as ‘partners’ to support this game. Your contribution to this game, even if it’s one kobo, will be appreciated”.
Harry expressed optimism that the state’s athletes were in high spirits for the game and were poised to win medals and write their names and that of the state in gold, explaining that most of the athletes were very serious and very focused, and really know what they want to do.
Harry said the indices on ground showed clearly that Rivers state would come out strong at the end of the day and Rivers people would be the better for it, as everything was geared towards taking the state to the next level in sports in particular.
Justus Awaji, Abuja
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