Nigeria: Bayelsa Govt Tasks State Contingent to Sports Festival

Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

30 June 2011

Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, has charged Team Bayelsa to make the state proud by clinching the first position in the next week’s National Sports Festival taking place in Port Harcourt Rivers State.

The Deputy Governor gave the charge while addressing the state contingent to the sports festival in Yenagoa as it makes final preparation for the Garden City Games 2011.

Chief Seibarugu assured that the sports men and women that the government will do everything possible to provide all they need to bring out their best at the games.

While acknowledging some of the problems confronting the athletes such as inadequate training equipment, the deputy governor commended them for conducting themselves properly, adding that the state government will promptly address their needs. He assured that the swimming poll project which had been put on hold will be completed before the end of the year and promised that with good performance from them at the sports event, government will be encouraged to motivate them the more.

Speaking earlier, Director of Sports, Mr. Jackson Bidei commended the state government for its role in providing for sports development over the years.

He however implored the state government to look into problems of lack of adequate equipment, unpaid allowances and other matters militating against good performance of athletes.

Bidei disclosed that out of the 914 sports men and women who were in camp, 694 made the final list to represent the state at the 17th sports festival.

Some of the sports men and women who spoke equally appealed to the state government to provide better training facilities for them.

They urged government to provide financial motivation and called for better reward for good performance adding that facilities such as a standard swimming pool should be put in place as well as provide employment for sports men and women who have been representing the state over the years but are unemployed.

They urged the government to ensure that athletes are not neglected after the sports festival, which according to them, has become the practice for some time.

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