ASABA/Nigeria: The Governor of Delta state, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, has charged relevant stake holders in sports, to raise the bar in sports development, and ensure that sports in the state is taken to the highest feat, especially football.
The governor gave the charge while delivering his speech at the 1st Delta Football Summit, organised by the Delta State Football Association (DFA) with the theme ‘Football as a Tool for Peace Building’ with sub-theme ‘Life After Football.”
Okowa decried what he described as abysmal, the performance of the national teams in recent international sports, particularly football World Cup, Africa Nations Cup and African Clubs Competition as serious course for concern.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Comrade Ifeanyi Egwunyenga, stated, “We have also declined in other sports, including boxing, wrestling, weightlifting and even track and field.”
He urged members of the football association to use this summit to provide a veritable platform for stakeholders to galvanize a paradigm shift for a positive direction of running football as a truly entertainment and commercial enterprise.
He advised that at the end of this summit, “We should be able to recommend ways to get football back to our schools, and bring up ideas on transition of outstanding potentials of elite level.”
Earlier, the Chairman, Delta State Football Association (DFA), Mr Kenneth Nwamuocha, stated that the association was using football to preach peace and also a means of income generation.
According to him,”The board is determined to use the outcome of this summit to develop a blue print which can be used to improve the lives of players, coaches and referees of the beautiful game and as well bring all parties together under a peaceful atmosphere to discuss ways of moving football forward in Delta State.”
Mr Nwamuocha expressed gratitude to the Governor Okowa, for investing in sports in general and football in particular, and for approving the hosting of Principals Cup, Headmasters Cup, by the Ministry of Education among secondary and primary schools.
The President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick, commended the Delta State Football Association (DFA) for organising the summit, stating that the theme of the summit was in sync with the realities on ground.
He advised members of the football association to have like minds and shun bitterness amongst themselves, adding that he had forgiven all those who offended him and advised others to do same to move the association forward.
Also, the Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Chief Toniobok Okowa, humped on the need for stakeholders to be united, to work in sync with the chairman of the association.
He advised board members to be loyal, shun act of confrontation, stating that Mr Nwamuocha was a man who listened and loaded with lots of experience.
The present leadership of the DFA came into office on the 15th September, 2020 after elections were held into different positions.
Present at the summit were the principal officers and members of the Delta State House of Assembly, Ex and present footballer’s, representatives of local football council, and representatives of football clubs in the state, amongst others.
The high points of the occasion were the interactive session which bordered on life after football and presentations of awards of recognition.
