Maduako Igbokwe I Thursday, May 25, 2023
AWKA, Anambra – About 610 primary and secondary schools across 21 local governments in the state are expected to participate in the Anambra state School Sports Festival billed to commence on May 27th 2023.
The Anambra State School Sports Festival rechristened Anambra Sports Solution Initiative (ANSSI) had been comatose in the last 10 years.
Chairman of Anambra State sports Commission, Hon. Patrick Estate Onyedum who briefed journalists on the activities of the commission ahead of the event said school games were dead in the last 10 years.
According to him,the grassroots programme are meant to take Anambra state back to its days of glory in sports , when it produced national and international champions.
He assured that at the end of the festival the state would be able to discover and raise generation of young talents that would surprise the country at the national youths games billed to hold on September 2023.
Onyedum reiterated the commission’s determination to make Anambra state the number one talents hunt destination for national and international scout in different sporting activities.
He also stated that the Commission had entered into agreement with institutions of higher learning in Europe and America that offer scholarship to talented students.
“The school sports festival is a veritable platform for identification and nurturing of potential beneficiaries of that opportunity. I assure you that in no distant time, Anambra children will start to find their way to studying abroad through sports sponsorship ” he said .
Speaking at the occasion, the State Commissioner for Education Prof. Ngozi Chuma – Ude said that sporting activities are critical to child upbringing and healthy living.
According to her sports is a skill on its own and there is need for the youth to embrace it for their development.
Also speaking,the State Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Tony Collins Nwabunwanne assured that all the 21 local government council chairmen would give necessary support to ensure that the initiative was successful.
He urged the school children to key into the programme for their human capital development.
“We want to see a situation where in the next few years, one of you will represent Anambra state at the national and International events” he said.
