By Okechukwu Okechukwu
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra State chapter, Friday, urged governor Chukwuma Soludo, to revive school inter-house sporting activities as panacea to rekindling sports in the state.
According to SWAN,revival of the sports culture for which Anambra State was known could be made possible through the activation of Inter-House Sports, School Sports and State Sports festival.
The association in a Communiqué Issued at end of its June Congress, and signed by the Chairman, Mr Tony Oji, and Secretary, Mr Chimezie Anaso, equally advocated regular training and retraining programs for Anambra State athletes and technical officials as well as participation in national and competitions.
It reads this, "It is our considered opinion that giving attention to sports and making adequate investment in the sector will complement efforts at ensuring peace because of the alternative and opportunities it provide for the teeming youth population.
"SWAN is grateful to the past Anambra government under His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, for constructing the Awka City Stadium pitch, which had been adjudged as one of the best in the country at the moment. The stadium is not only befitting of the status of Anambra state as the foremost sporting state in Nigeria, it has also helped to create a budding sports economy which should be sustained.
"SWAN calls on the administration in the state under Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for the setting up of a Stadium Management Committee for the facility to ensure proper management and maintenance of the facility for profitable use and sustainability.
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SWAN joins the sports Stakeholders in Anambra State to give the people of the state a football club of their own like other states of the federation especially now that there is a top notch facility in the state for that purpose. SWAN, therefore, calls for a proper constitution of the Anambra State Sports Development Commission, ANSDC, according to the organogram in its Establishment Act for optimal planning, implementation and output in the sports sector."