SWAN congratulates Soludo, seeks funding for sports

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra chapter, has congratulated Prof. Chukwuma Soludo on his one year anniversary in office as governor of the state.

SWAN also commended Soludo for the success of his administration in the sports sector.

Anthony Oji, Chairman of SWAN in Anambra, who spoke to journalists after the one year anniversary town hall meeting in Awka, on Saturday however noted that Soludo did not mention activities in the sports sector as part of his achievement.

Oji lauded the exploits of team Anambra at the 21st National Sports Festival in Delta last year, where the state won 39 medals, including six gold, nine silver and 24 bronze medals.

He said it was expected that the one year anniversary event would be the best time to specially welcome the team and showcase to the public the successes being recorded in the area of sports.

“The body of sports writers under the umbrella of SWAN wish to join the people of Anambra to congratulate Mr Governor on this occasion of one year anniversary and the much he has been able to achieve within the period.

“But as stakeholders in sports, we are concerned that the sector could not get a mention during the governors account of stewardship. Interestingly, a lot has been going on even though modestly.

“Recall that Anambra was at Asaba for the National Sports Festival where we won six gold, nine silver and 24 bronze medals, which was a great achievement when the administration was just nine months old but we did not hear that, may be because of time.

“We want to use this opportunity to call on our able governor to receive that team and reward the deserving athletes and coaches, one of them has received an invitation to represent Nigeria in Canada later this year,” he said.

The SWAN chairman also commended Soludo for appointing an ably qualified sports personality as Chairman of the Anambra Sports Development Commission, adding that he has implicit confidence in the ability of the management to deliver.

He however urged Soludo to take sports as his pet project and fund it adequately, in the interest of teeming talented Anambra youths, with regards to economic empowerment, entertainment and public image values it possessed.