Imo sets for Niger Delta sports festival in UyoAs Athletes registration ends March 7 By Kelechi Ugo

Imo State, the eastern heartland has set up every mercenary in motion to join her oil producing sister states in Uyo,Akwa Ibom State for the forthcoming maiden edition of sports festival organized by Niger Delta Development Commission,NDDC.Briefing newsmen on Tuesday at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, the Imo State Liaison Committee, which is the State’s Local Organizing Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission has disclosed that over 3000 athletes, 600 coaches and technical officials will participate in the NDDC Sports Festival billed to hold between 1st and 8th of April, 2025, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and Imo State Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Obinna Onyeocha stated that Imo State is among the NDDC states that will participate in the festival, an event he noted is a flagship sports development programme of th Commission, partnering with the Dunamis Icon Limited as consultant.Hon. Onyeocha disclosed that registration for the sporty festival has been extended to 7th March, 2025, maintaining that the essence of the event is to discover, groom and build national and international athletes from the Niger Delta Region as well as expanding access to sports and sporting facilities in the Region geared towards lifting the people economically.”State trials for all the mentioned Sports have been fixed for Tuesday, March 4th, 2025. Venue is at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri. Coaches from the 27 LGAs with their athletes are requested to be at the Owerri venue before 9.00am that day.”Imo State’s Open Camp begins on 17th March to 23rd, 2025 at Dan Anyiam Stadium, while the Closed Camp begins on 24th till decamping on the 30th of April, 2025. Departure to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State shall be on the 1st of April, 2025″, he disclosed.He encouraged under 25 years athletes to go for physical capture at the office of Director of Sports at Dan Anyiam Stadium,Owerri or contact the Sports Secretaries at their various LGA Headquarters.”Imo State, as one of the mandate states of the NDDC, shall be attending the festival in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. We are currently registering online as directed. Over 600-Under-25-Athletes drawn from the grassroots of the 27 LGAs are expected to participate. These athletes shall be participating in all the 17 featured Sports at the festival which include Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cheese, Football, Handball, Para-Athletics, Para-Powerlifting, Scrabble, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Traditional Wrestling, Wrestling”, the Commissioner outlined.In his words, Secretary of the Local Organizing Committee of the NDDC Sports Festival and representative of Dunamis Icon Limited, Hon. Willie Okolieogwo, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma for their unwavering support, as well as the NDDC for initiating the program which he identified as human capital driven.