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NSF ‘Asaba’ 2022: Venues meant for hosting are in top shape- Commissioner

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By Anne Azuka

The State Commissioner for Information and Chairman Local Organizing Committee (LOC) on Media and Publicity of the National Sports Festival scheduled to kick start on November 30, Mr. Charles Aniagwu has announced that the venues meant for the hosting of the festival are already in top shape.

Aniagwu stated this on Sunday night while briefing the press on the outcome of the meeting of the Local Organizing Committee(LOC) of the festival tagged ‘Asaba 2022’.

According to Aniagwu, the LOC meeting is conveyed to examine our preparedness towards the hosting of the competition. And I can confirm to you that we are very much to go.

“We met to deliberate on a number of issues; the readiness of the venues, the preparedness of the different committees, whether at the level of the games or the comfort we intend to provide?

Aniagwu disclosed that the State was expecting to host no fewer than 12,500 athletes that will take part in the competition and in 38 games.

“Our brothers and sisters will be coming to take part of the competition. We are expecting no fewer than 12,500(twelve thousand, five hundred) athletes to take part in this competition.

” We are also looking forward to hosting as much as 38 games. And all of them will take place here in Asaba and a number of other remote areas not too far from the Capital territory.

“The reason is to have a very close interface with different persons, different teams that are participating.

” I am pleased to announce to you that some of the States have already started arriving. About three States have arrived, and the venues particularly where we will be hosting them are already in top shape. You need to go to the Stephen Keshi stadium to see what we have done”, Aniagwu posited.

He noted that the total renovation of the stadium’s environment, the Tater tracks, others have been completed.

“So we are quite comfortable, hoping that as the governor directed, that as a State, we will be able to host the competition that anybody have not hosted before now.

“We have also agreed that we will continue to meet much more regularly, almost on daily basis, to continue to review developments.

“And at the course of the event, we will be able to look at issues, by the time a number of persons come, even if we have dotted the eyes and crossed the tee, there may be the need to respond to exigencies of the time.

“And we have put in place processes that will enable us do that. The Security committee has also been charged to ensure that those coming in for the games are very well secured, so that at the end of the day, we will not envisage any form of disturbances that will not be handled”, Information Commissioner added.

On the control of traffic during the competition, he said that the committee were putting finishing touches, saying that a test run will be conducted on the Scoreboards, the floodlights and a number of things to ensure they are functioning optimally to enable successful competition.

He stated that they were expecting that all the 39 flags, representing 36 States and the federal capital territory, the National flag, the Nigerian flag and the flag of the competition itself would be hoisted on November 29.

Aniagwu explained that all of them would be hoisted to further add beauty to the venue, adding ” there will be a short ceremony to proceed the hoisting of those flags. And all those are being taken care of”.

“We are quite comfortable the way we are, we believe that the few other things we need to do, will be completed before the competition proper.

“We also hope to receive the ‘Unity Torch’ on the 29th of November. It will hold at the same time we will hoist the flags”, he stressed.

On the movement of the Contingents to the venues of the competition, he said a vehicle will be mounted at St. Patrick’s College Asaba for onward free movement of the athletes to the venues.

He averred that Delta State athletes would take part in all the 38 games, saying “unlike others that will not partake in all due to the peculiarities of some games, ‘Delta no dey carry last”.

“We are quite confident that we are not just hosting, but hosting to win, and win creditably.

” The National Sports Festival is one avenue through which Nigeria in the cause of time, has discovered a whole lot of athletes.

On the closing of schools in the State during the competition, Aniagwu stated; “most of these athletes are Secondary School and Tertiary School students.

“Now if you want a number of schools to be in session while this competition is on, you have also ended up denying these students who are also participating, opportunity of participating and at the same time being in their classrooms.

“We have been able to reach an arrangement for just a couple of ten days, to extend the time the school will close. But if you want the school to be in session, and at the same time you want some of our children who are going to take part in these games to also go to school, these children are also inspired when they watch on their peers.

” We are very poised in maintaining that first position in sports and to do it, it means that our great number of our children will be inspired.

“And that means, they will become part of the spectators because when you watch, you are encouraged and there is tendency for you to sharpen your brain, your talents that you are engaging.

“As par hosting the States, we promised to provide a befitting arena, environment and security of lives and property”, Aniagwu posited.

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