Chairman of the Anambra State Sports Development Commission (ANSSDC),Mr. Patrick Estate Onyedum, has advocated for the rebirth of school sports in the state and throughout Nigeria.
Mr. Onyedum made the request at a meeting in the state capital of Awka with members of the ANSSDC, the Post-Primary School Service Commission (PPSSC), the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), and Directors of Sports.
The Chairman stated that the purpose of the conference was to create a road map for revitalizing school sports culture, which will aid in the discovery and development of abundant talents housed in schools, with the goal of producing world stars in the near future.
Onyedum further stated that the current government, led by Professor Charles Soludo, a sports-loving Governor, is always eager to support programs that will enable Anambra youngsters to build a name for themselves via sports.
He tasked sports officers in schools and local government areas to key into his vision through talent hunt in their constituencies and comfort zones.
In her response, the Director of Sports at ASUBEB, Mrs Anthonia Nwaneri said she and her team are willing to partner with the commission in achieving the objective.
Mrs Nwaneri emphasized that the state was doing well in sports until when they were schemed out in 2016 and the creation of the sports commission in 2018 worsened matters.
On her part, PPSSC representative, Mrs Victoria Nwobi re-echoed the views of her ASUBEB counterpart on the need to engage critical stakeholders that will drive the vision of the present leadership at the ANSSDC. She thanked the ANSSDC Chairman for engaging them via this forum as it is essential in changing the narratives on school sports culture.
Also speaking, a representative of the Owners of Private Schools Association of Nigeria (OPSAN), Anambra State Chapter, Comrade Ralphael Okafor said the meeting with sports stakeholders is apt as it will help in defining the roles of various stakeholders in the noble course of reviving school sports.
Mr Olu Sule, a veteran sports consultant and administrator, stressed in his speech that sports officers’ jobs are difficult because they are tasked with discovering and developing players into future international stars.
He cautioned them to avoid arguing, power struggles, and monetary gains, which are an encumbrance to the commission’s good objective.
The ANSSDC, led by Patrick Estate Onyedum, intends to reinvigorate school sports culture through the implementation of a school sports festival, which is set to begin this year as part of his vision for sports development.
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