As Delta state government restates its commitment to clinch medals for Nigeria on the world stage, the Governor of the oil and gas wealthy state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has vowed to strengthen sports development through the provision of more sports facilities for effective training.
Uduaghan disclosed this, Weekend, while commissioning an Olympic size swimming pool complex at the flag off of the three day 5th Chief of Naval Staff open swimming competition in Oghara.
The Governor harped on the fact that athletes require facilities and constant training and exposure to excel at the international level and urged parents to support their children who have inclination for sports, just as he pledged to encourage the athletes.
“We are prepared to encourage young ones to achieve their maximum potentials in sports. In Delta State we take swimming seriously and it is part of our youth empowerment programme to channel their energies away from crime.’
The governor, however increased the prize for the competition from N15,000 to N150,000, as the Chief of Naval staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba expressed delight, saying that the swimming competition was a way of training and ensuring the fitness of officers and men of the Nigerian Navy.
He called on all stakeholders and the Delta State Government to help raise the stakes in the swimming competition by discovering talents that would win laurels for the country in international events.
In his comments, the President, Nigeria Aquatics Federation, Mr. Babatunde Fatayi-Williams commended Delta State for her dominance in sports in the last few years and commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for making Delta State field athletes who have so far made Nigeria proud.
The Chairman of Delta State Sports commission, Mr. Amaju Pinnick while welcoming guests, swimmers and spectators to the three day swimming competition said the Olympic sized swimming pool in Oghara was the first of its kind in the country and revealed that a similar one will soon be commissioned at the Warri Stadium.
Mr. Pinnick expressed the hope that the facilities will encourage swimming and enable Delta State maintain her dominance in swimming.
