By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Minister of Sports, Sen John Ewan has hailed Prof. Chukwuma Soludo led administration for its clear vision on the development of the sports sector in the state.

He made the commendation when he received the Chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission, Patrick-Estate Onyedum in his Abuja office.

Onyedum who informed the Minister of the activities and successes in the sector since inception of the Soludo administration also presented the Anambra five points agenda for sports.

He spoke about the Anambra Sports Solution Initiative (ANSSI) which gave birth to the Primary and secondary school sports festival which was reintroduced last year.

The Commission Chairman said, Abundance of talents were discovered in the 2023 edition of the school sports festival and a number of them went to the national youth game in Asaba and excelled following which some of them won scholarship because of their sterling performances.

He further invited the minister to the 2024 edition of the festival billed for May this year.

Responding, the minister commended Soludo for giving priority to sports and turning Anambra to a hub in the Southeast.

According to him, the five points agenda aligns with the programme of the ministry, even as he promised to support where necessary.

He also thanked Gov. Soludo for rescuing and rehabilitating Tanya Okpala, a former Tennis Star who was spotted in a viral video in the streets of Awka going through psycho, social and economic challenges.

The agenda for sports under Soludo government include to facilitate grassroots sports development for all youth and students for recreation, health, and livelihood.

Meanwhile, the inter-house and inter-school sports competitions

Will be mainstreamed:

To create Anambra male and female football teams to play in the professional league in Nigeria;

To create private-sector partnerships to drive sports development and infrastructural deveopment:

To develop modern sports facilities across all local governments to harness talent and develop future Olympic champions and global sports champions;

To encourage schools, communities, and local governments to create playgrounds/sports centres with needed equipment to develop skills and provide matching grants to facilitate these infrastructure.