By Obaseki Anthony on September 24, 2019

The Special Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Sports, Hon. Stephen Cole, has said that the government is deliberately promoting sports in the state because of the immense benefits it has to offer.

Speaking recently in Asaba, the state capital, Cole said: “The government has been intentional in the promotion of sports in the state.

What we are doing today is a progression. It is not like we just came up one day and started doing it.

“It is a planned arrangement. We had it in mind to make people happy that’s why are promoting sports.

“You can see the successes of the state’s teams, most recently in the youth tournament in Ilorin, Kwara State.

“Like I said before, it is a planned thing. It is not an endeavour you just jump in and say you want to win. You must start from the grassroots to pick up and nurture players while taking care of their welfare.

“What you seeing today is not an accident. In Delta State right from time we have had the structures. You can see the stadium – we have it all the stadiums in Delta State. We have a governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who is taking up from where other governors stopped, so it takes planning.

“I want to give credence to the Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and the Sports Commission’s Chairman, Chief Tony Okowa; the chairman is someone that is enthusiastic when it comes to sports.

“He follows up, too. That’s the thing about sports; you have follow up on the financing and the efforts. We also have the personnel; we have the human resources here, people that are well endowed with a good knowledge on sports.”

On being able to organise tournaments back to back – the most recent being the just-concluded Governor Ifeanyi Okowa Pre-Season Tournament and with the Stephen Okechukwu Keshi Tournament at hand, Hon. Cole admitted that it has not been easy. He, however, added that with professionals and sports technocrats who see it as a daily business, there has been resilience in the energy-sapping venture.

On the Stephen Okechukwu Keshi Tournament for Under-17 and Under-21 footballers which kicked off yesterday (Monday, September 23), the Governor’s Aide said: “I’m the LOC Chairman, fortunately, and we are going to play the Under-17 and the Under-21.

“Part of the goal of this tournament is to ensure we fish out talented players that will join the national teams and that’s why we took it to that level and the Under-21. For those who are a little bit bigger in age and don’t have professional clubs, they can join the amateur clubs.

It’s an opportunity for them to exhibit their talents so they can be picked by youth clubs. We have about 30 teams all over the coming from all over the country.

“We have accommodation for all of them. I told you we have structures and facilities. Those are the variables that will make sports thrive.”

•PHOTO: Stephen Cole, SA on Sports to Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 24, 2019

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