By Isaiah Eka
No fewer than 17 events will feature at the maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports festival scheduled for April 1 and 8, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
The 17 sports include; athletics, basketball, boxing, canoeing, chess, football, handball, para-athletics, para-powerlifting, scrabble, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling among others.
The Co – Chairman, Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the festival, Itiako Ikpokpo, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday.
According to the co-chairman, the festival is to commemorate the commission’s 25th anniversary.
Ikpokpo said the festival will attract athletes across the nine Niger Delta states competing in 17 events.
He assured of enough facilities in the state to take care of the 17 sports that will feature during the festival.
“We are ready for the sports festival and all the facilities will be ready in a week, equipment are coming in and athletes are preparing. So, I can tell you confidently that we are very ready.
Ikpokpo said that all the nine Niger Delta states have indicated interest to participate in the festival.
He assured athletes, officials and fans that adequate security arrangements have been put in place for their safety.
Ikpokpo said that about 15, 000 entries have been received for the competition, adding that 3, 000 entries will be selected for the festival.
“All the states of the Niger Delta are involved in the festival. The states are preparing their athletes to win laurels during the competition.
“We have over 15, 000 entries and we are only going to take about 3, 000 entries. It is a competition where we want a sizable number that we can manage because it is the first edition,” he said.
He assured athletes that all arrangements have been put in place to take care of emergency situations throughout the competition.
He added that the festival is to bring out talents to compete favourably in any competition.
“We want to build gradually, we have programmes for everybody.
“It is not a competitive festival, we are using the festival to produce and develop athletes, and that’s why we pegged the age of 25 years for participants,” he said.
He called on Akwa Ibom people and all Niger Delta states to come out en masse to cheer and support the athletes during the festival.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival is organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). NAN
