Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has commended Prof. Chukwuma Soludo-led administration in Anambra for it’s clear vision for the development of the sports sector in the state.
Senator made the commendation when he received Chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission, Patrick-Estate Onyedum, in his office in Abuja.
Onyedum who presented the Anambra five points agenda for sports also informed the minister of the activities and successes in the sectior.
He spoke about the Anambra Sports Solution Initiative (ANSSI) which gave birth to the primary and secondary school sports festival which was reintroduced in 2023.
The Sports Commission Chairman said abundance of talents were discovered in the 2023 edition of the school sports festival and a number of them went to the national youth games in Asaba and excelled following which some of them won scholarship because of their sterling performances.
Onyedum then invited the minister to the 2024 edition of the festival billed for May.
In his response, the Minister commended Soludo for giving priority to sports and turning Anambra to a hub in the Southeast.
Minister Eno said the five points agenda aligns with the programme of the ministry and promised to support where necessary.
He also thanked Soludo for rescuing and rehabilitating Tanya Okpala, a former Tennis Star who was spotted in a viral video in the street of Awka going through psycho, social and economic challenges.
Blueprint reports that the agenda for sports under Soludo include to facilitate grassroots sports development for all youth and students for recreation, health, and livelihood.
According to a strategic plan for implementation by the state sports commission, “the inter-house and inter-school sports competitions
will be mainstreamed.
“To create Anambra male and female football teams to play in the professional league in Nigeria;
“To create private-sector partnerships to drive sports development and infrastructural deveopment:
“To develop modern sports facilities across all local governments to harness talent and develop future Olympic champions and global sports champions;
“To encourage schools, communities, and local governments to create playgrounds/sports centres with needed equipment to develop skills and provide matching grants to facilitate these infrastructure.”
