Anambra Sports Sector, Success Story So Far Under Soludo… Onyedum
Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission (ANSDC) has said that better days await athletes and sports lovers under the administration of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.
Onyedum who congratulated Soludo on his one year anniversary in office, said the governor had broken new grounds in all sectors including sports.
The Chairman said Soludo demonstrated his love for sports by magnanimously releasing funds to sponsor 249-man contingent to the 21st National Sports Festival in Delta State in spite of the lean financial resources available.
Onyedum said the team took part in 21 in events and won a total of 39 medals including six gold, nine silver,and 24, a record he described as the best in the state’s history at the NSF.
He said a member of the team, Ujunwa Nwankwo, a female Karate fighter got an invitation to represent Nigeria at an international championship in Canada in April this year.
“Like the governor said in his welcome message, we represented the state without any scandal or doping, and were able to sustain its record at the last festival held in Edo State,” he said.
Onyedum said Anambra also took part in the National School Sports Athletics trials in Abeokuta, Ogun State where 16 year old Fiaku Ezechukwuchiri emerged champion of the High jump event and earned to participate at the World School Athletics Championship later this year.
Onyedum said the Anambra would be one huge sporting arena with the development of Anambra State Sports Solution Initiative (ASSI) is the Special Purpose Vehicle for driving sports in the state with robust private sector involvement.
He said already, the Sports Commission had signed a sports financing partnership deal with Brunnnuel & Winston, a consulting firm to implement sports development programmes under ASSI for four years in line with Soludo’s desire to have the private sector get involved.
Onyedum said the State Government had given consent to Onitsha Business School, organisers of Onitsha City Marathon to stage the second edition of marathon later this year.
“We are making progress, you know sports is a field event which everybody should see, but we are putting the administrative structure in place through a general overhaul of the Commission.
“We now have our financing partnership, we have a project vehicle, we have set up the administrative structure such that every part of the Commission from chairman to directors, coaches have to understand and play their role in the system.
“We have launched ASSI under which we plan to get no fewer than 10,000 Anambra athletes in the field, we have primary and secondary school sports, tertiary institutions, games out of school sports to harness sporting talents in the communities and markets,” he said.
Onyedum sports Infrastructure will also get attention as plans were already underway to develop the Park B section of Awka Township Stadium, upgrade of Ekwulobia Township Stadium and siting of facility in each of the three Senatorial District.
He said the progress made so far was because Soludo gave his political support to sports and wanted to see the sector develop in terms of business and empowerment for youths.
According to him, it will be sports like never before. I call on youths in Anambra to get their jerseys and boots because the Soludo administration promises to provide the environment for them to take their talents to the world stage.
