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• Delta to maintain lead In sports, says Okowa

Warri North Local Government has emerged winner of the 6th Delta State Sports Festival  that ended Friday [12-05-17] at Ozoro, with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa promising his administration’s commitment to ensure that the state will continue to excel in national sports events.

Speaking when he declared the festival closed, Governor Okowa said: “It is an open secret that the constant success achieved by Delta State in national competitions was largely due to this grassroots support for sports.”

He reiterated government’s determination to ensure that the State continues to play a leading role in the development of sports in the country, promising to make the Sports Festival a yearly event, and providing more avenues for youths to productively engage in sporting activities.

At the closing ceremony, Warri North Local Government Area clinched the first position with 39 gold  medals to beat its closest rival, Oshimili South Local Government Area which got 30 gold medals, while Ukwuani Local Government Grea got 29 gold medals.

While commending the various local government areas that contributed to the promotion of sports at the grassroots, the Governor observed, ” sporting activities are vital areas where our young men and women can be meaningfully engaged; they keep the young ones busy and away from delinquent behaviours and youth restiveness in all its ramifications; besides, it also gives opportunity to develop their talents on their way to national and international prominence.”

While promising to support sports development through the reintroduction of the School Sports Competition, the Governor commended the Sports Commission and the athletes for their contributions to sports development.

The Minister of Sports, Honourable Solomon Dalung, who was the Special Guest of Honour, in his speech, acknowledged the contributions of Delta State in taking Nigeria to greater heights through sports development, asserting that the state has produced quality sportsmen and women who have represented the country in major sporting events in Africa and other parts of the world.

He commended Governor Okowa for his commitment to sports development, noting that sports had contributed immensely to the sustenance of peace in the state.
The Chairman, Delta State Sports Commission Chief Tonobok Okowa said talents which were discovered during the festival would be assets to the State in future National and International sporting activities.

Governor Okowa alongside the Sports Minister and Deputy Governor, Barrister Kingsley Otuaro later presented trophies to the winners of the Festival.