Imo Sports & Youth Commissioner Interfaces With Stakeholders On Devt

..SWAN Decries Missing Score Board, Decaying Facilities, Unemployment of Athletes

..As Onyeocha Receives State Athletes Who Worn Laurels 

The Imo state Commissioner For Sports And Youth Development, Hon Obinna Evarestus Onyeocha "Onowu" on Tuesday held series of interface with various stakeholders in his ministry including SWAN, NYSC and some selected News Editors.

Speaking With The Newly Inaugurated EXCO Of The Sports Writers Association Of Nigeria, SWAN, The Commissioner Congratulated Them On The Success Of Their Recently Concluded peaceful Election.

"This Meeting Is Just To Familiarize Myself With You. SWAN Is Part Of My Ministry. It Is Your Place To Partner With Me Towards Lifting This Ministry Beyond How We Met It. We Are A Family, And You Are A Critical Stakeholder In The Ministry. You Must Therefore Try As Much As You Can To Collaborate Positively With This Ministry", Onyeocha Enjoined.

The Commissioner Informed That The Government Of Sen. Hope Uzodinma, Though His Ministry, Is Also Working Towards The Area Of Infrastructural Developments In The State. He Promised That The Scoreboard Would Be Sought For Wherever It Is, And Re-installed.

 

The Newly Inaugurated Chairman Of SWAN, Imo State Chapter, Mr. Cosmas Chukwuemeka, Had Earlier Observed That Sports In Imo State Was Not At Its Best Before The Coming Of The Honourable Commissioner. He Appealed That Suggestions Of SWAN Should Always Be Given Serious Consideration Since Bot Are Partners.

He Observed The Lack Of Sports Infrastructure In The State, Especially, The Dan Anyiam Stadium Where He Said Had No Tatan Tracks For Athletes, While Appealing That More Stadium Should Be Established In Council areas for Trainings By Imo Athletes as well as sports events.

The Chairman Also Called For The Enrolment Of Some Imo Coaches At The NIS Trainings As A Way Of Upgrading Them For National And International Engagements. 

"Another Thing Is Encouraging Private Owned Clubs. Government Should Regularly Map Out Some Funds That Would Be Shared Among Some Private Clubs So That They Sometimes, Represent The State In Certain Competitions. 

"There Should Also Be Subvention For Other Sports Associations, Even As I Must Give Kudos To You For The Support You Gave To The Grasshoppers In Their Recent Outing Which Gave Them 3rd Position. We Believe It Will Get Better, Since It's Better Than Previous Years", He Concluded.

SWAN among many other issues Requested To Present Position Paper To The Commissioner On How To Better Sports In The State, Even As they Requested The Commissioner To Investigate How The Scoreboard meant to be Mounted At The Dan Anyiam Stadium Developed Wings And Disappeared.

Earlier, Hon Onyeocha First Received The State Coordinator Of The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, From Eziama Obire In Nkwerre LGA Mrs. Idowu Rachael And Members Of Her Team.

The NYSC Team Came On The Commissioner's Request To Extend Hand Of Fellowship And Positive Partnership Of The Corps, As Well As Re-affirm his ministry's Commitment to Youth development.

Idowu Also Presented The Corps' Magazine To The Honourable Commissioner.

In related development, the Commissionee while Addressing Selected Journalists And Editors Said He Invited Them To Seek Possible Ways For Effective And Positive Partnership With Media Practitioners Towards The Projection Of His Ministry And The 3R Administration Of His Excellency, Gov. Hope Uzodinma. 

He Explained That The Meeting Is Simply Interactive Intending To Hear Their Suggestions On What They Think His Ministry Is Doing And What They Think It Can Do Better.

He Assured The Team That His Ministry Is Already Looking Into The Leadership Crises In The State Chapter Of The National Youth Council Of Nigeria, NYC, As Well As Taken Note Of Youths Leadership Crises In Some Communities In The State.

He Called Once Again On All In The Pen Profession In The State To Partner With His Office, And Work Together With The Government Of Sen. Hope Uzodinma For The Happiness And Progress Of Imo State.

The Commissioner Later Gifted All The Journalists With Owned-Name  Branded Heartland Jerseys Which They Described As Noble And Innovative Of The Honourable Commissioner. They Also Noted That It Was The First Time A Meeting Of The Nature Is Coming up Comprising SWAN And Other Journalists.

Also, the Commissioner received in audience, Prince Chyna Kennedy Nwamkpa (MR. UNIVERSE) Who recently Won Medals In Power Lifting In Far Away The United States Equally Got Received By The Commission On Behalf Of The Executive Governor.

Also Received Was Miss NWOZUZU CHITURU; A paralympian Who Also Won Gold Trophy at the Davnotch Tennis Open Championship In Abuja.

Chituru Who Had Been Sponsoring Herself All Through National And International Tournaments On Behalf Of The State Simply Appealed To The Governor Through  The Commissioner To Help Gift Her A Tennis Wheelchair To Enable Her Win More Trophies.

The Commissioner Who Wad Moved To Tears Promised To Take The Matter Up To His Excellency, Gov. Hope Uzodinma.

He Informed That Their Was No Proposal Before Him Regarding Her Last Trip, But Requested The Director Of Sports To Represent The Proposal For Consideration.

Another Imolites, Miss OLUCHI OZURUMBA Also Won A Bronze after she placed 3rd In Same Outing in the able Tennis Championship as she was Received By The Commissioner On Behalf Of The Governor.

The Commissionee promised to leverage on the success of the athletes to ensure that Imo youths are encouraged to train under enabling enviromenta by encouraging grassroots sports Development especially in partnership with the School system.