3,000 Athletes, Officials For 2nd Niger Delta Games In Benin City

Over 3,000 athletes and officials from nine oil producing States will participate at the Second Niger Delta Games to be hosted by Edo State.

The event, which will feature 17 sports, including football and a cultural night, will hold from February 20 to 27 this year and is being sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Chairman of Dunamis Icons Limited, organisers of the Niger Delta Games (NDGs), Hon. Itiako Ikpokpo, disclosed this during an interactive session with members of the Edo State chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in Benin City on Wednesday.

He stressed that participating athletes who must not exceed 20 years of age must be indigenes of the official participating States.

Hon. Ikpokpo, while noting that grassroots is at local government level, advised that efforts should be made to take talents hunt to that level to discover more sports talents for the country.

He pointed out that States were not doing enough to elevate sports development, adding that low budgetary provisions for sports by States of the federation was far below what is required to uplift sports development, adding “We must go back to Schools Sports to discover more young talents for the country

“There is a need to elevate conversation on sports in the country. The reason why sports has not become money spinner is because of the manner sports is being managed by administrators,” Hon. Ikpokpo said.

He said it was shameful that across the country, cheating is allowed to go on in sports, urging all hands to be on deck to stop the trend.

The Dunamis Icons boss, who fielded questions from journalists, called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) look beyond Uyo Stadium for the hosting of international football tournaments and come to Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State, which he said is as good as Uyo stadium.