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By Zika Bobby
Chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission (ANSDC), Patrick-Estate Onyedum has said that better days await athletes and sports lovers under the administration of Governor 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.
He 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 bronze medals, 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 has given consent to Onitsha Business School, organisers of Onitsha City Marathon to stage the second edition of marathon later this year.
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.
