A former Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, Udom Ekpoudom has called on various States’ Ministry of Youth and Sports in the country to formulate a delibrate sports policy that would keep youths engaged at all times.
Ekpoudom, who is also the Proprietor of Tower of Ivory Schools in Nigeria, made this known after conducting members of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Akwa Ibom chapter, on a facility tour of sporting facilities in his school, at Ediene Abak.
He said that such policy would guide youths on how to utilize their time for gainful engagement, thereby reducing their involvement in activities that are detrimental to the development of the society.
The Retired DIG said that, his love for investigating in sports in his schools steamed from the fact that, it has helped to engage the students’ minds and intellects, diverting their attention from social vices.
The former Police boss stressed that, his passion for sports cannot be compromised, hence his determination and commitment at providing sports facilities, knowing that, the sector is so lucrative this time around.
He further added that, one of the driving forces making him to build sports infrastructure was to use sports as bait to sharpen the intellectual capacities of his students and pupils.
“I love my state and will always do anything that will promote the development of my state. I ventured into schools because I intend to support the growth of education in my state. Today, we are building sports infrastructure as a deliberate attempt to leverage the love for sports to sharpen the intellectual capacities of our students and pupils.” He said.
In a remark, state SWAN chairman Comrade Emmanuel Akpan, said that, the tour became necessary to allow SWAN members the opportunity to witness first-hand, the conscious efforts made by the school toward the development of sports.
“We have heard the story of the renaissance of sports infrastructure in your schools and we are here to witness it first-hand. As sports writers, we are committed to the development and promotion of sports and it behoves us to report such development to the general public wherever it may take place.” Akpan said.
The facilities inspected at the school include a mini stadium of five hundred seats capacity complete with plastic seats and a standard natural-grassed football field with reinforced aluminium goalposts, modern basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, two badminton courts and a standard indoor sports hall.
Others are, a long jump pitch, a fully-furnished squash court and a standard swimming pool.
