By Our Correspondent
The Anambra government has been urged to partner private sector investors as a measure to address the sports Infrastructure deficit in the state.
Chris Abakare, a football administrator, made the call while delivering a lecture at the 2024 Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra Chapter End of Year and Recognition Ceremony in Awka on Friday.
The theme of the lecture was “Sports Development In Anambra: The Infrastructure Question”.
Abakare, a professor of Philosophy at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka said sports infrastructure in Anambra was both inadequate and in bad condition that the state could not hold competitions.
He regretted that the Awka Township Stadium which had the potential of becoming the hub of sports in Southeast had been lost to a leisure and recreation park known as the Solution Fun City.
He said the opportunity of building an all inclusive sports city at the massive expanse of land in Awka has been lost as the place had been reduced to a mere playground fenced-in by fun city
“We prayed and hoped before we got what we have in the Park A area of the Awka Stadium, we were looking forward to a complete sports city but what we have now we have Solution Fun City.
“I am not saying that an amusement park is not good, as a matter of fact, it should be part of every community to attract tourists and revenue to them.
“As it is, the state can not hold any sports Competition, we tried doing this in February 2020 when Anambra hosted the Nigeria Police Games, but most of the games were played in the neighbouring Delta State, some athletes did not step into the state that hosted the Competition,” he said.
Abakare said Anambra government should adopt a Public Public Partnership model with management of Rojenny Stadium, NEROS Stadium, Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium and others to address the infrastructure gap in the sports sector.
Also speaking, Tony Nezianya, Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Olympic Committee said the Anambra government should take the issue of sports facilities seriously.
Nezianya said youths and talented athletes in the state should be provided the ground to express themselves.
Godwin Aghaulor, Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 13 said sports was a veritable means of tackling insecurity.
Aghaulor who was represented by SP Josephine Ihunwo, the Zonal Command Public Relations Officer said the Police were presently on a sensitisation campaign against crime and cultism across the schools in the zone.
In a reaction, Dr law Mefor, Commissioner for Information in Anambra said the Soludo administration was taking sports from mere entertainment to economic activity.
Mefor admitted that the Anambra had a gap in sports infrastructure but assured that measures were being taken to address it and that an Olympic Stadium was being considered.
Some persons where recognised for their contributions to the development of the sports sector in Anambra including Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman, Anambra State Sports Development Commission.
Others were Ossy Onuko, Managing Director of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority Johnny Igboka, Proprietor of All Sports Foundation,Nimo, and Prof Victor Madubuko, Chairman Anambra State Beach Soccer Association.
De Wilson FA was recognised as the fastest growing Football Academy in Anambra
