Niger Delta Sports Festival MOC set for inauguration

AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE

The Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival will be inaugurated on Friday at the headquarters of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port Harcourt.

Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, who is chairman of the Project Consultant, Dunamis Icon, revealed that the inauguration of the Main Organising Committee for the sports festival comes in the wake of the inauguration of the state liaison committees for the nine states expected to take part in the festival.

Ikpokpo, who conceived the idea of the sports festival, further stated that facilities scheduled to play hosts to the event have been inspected and “work will start this week on facilities where there are challenges.”

He reiterated that the NDDC is ready to make the festival stands out and become a conveyor belt in talent production in sports from the Niger Delta region of the country.

“All the relevant committees have been set up after the Akwa Ibom State governor (Umo Eno) has graciously accepted to play host.

“The chairman of the Main Organising Committee is one of you, a three-time sports commissioner (in Rivers State) and currently the Executive Director, Finance/Administration of the NDDC, Alabo Boma Iyaye. I co-chair that committee that will be inaugurated on Friday (February 21, 2025). We’ve set up state liaison committees that are already functioning so as to ensure the process that will lead to the state trials. There is trials at the local government and state levels to produce competing athletes before the festival in Uyo.

“So we are getting set. Facilities have been inspected, and work will start this week on facilities where there are challenges.

“We want the World to know that the NDDC is ready to take up more responsibility of producing top talents for Nigeria in the area of sports,” Ikpokpo said.

The maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival will be held between April 1 and 9 this year and will feature 17 sports.