By Magnus Aluma, Abakaliki
The bill to establish Ebonyi state annual sports festival has scaled through the first reading in the State House of Assembly.
The bill which is the first private member bill entitled, “A bill for a law to provide for Ebonyi State Annual Sports Festival and Establishment of the Ebonyi State Sports Festival Committee and Other Related Matters,” was sponsored by the member representing Abakaliki North State Constituency, Mr. Victor Nwoke.
Mr. Nwoke, who is the chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Youth and Sports Development, told sports writers shortly after the plenary that the bill, if given assent, would enhance the establishment of a robust pool of talent in the state.
He noted that it will also pave the way for the onward recruitment and training of talent for future sporting events.
His words: “This bill is sponsored by myself and co-sponsored by other members of this House, especially the committee members. I came up with this bill because if given consent, it will help to give us an edge over other states as well as the advantage to harness the talent of our youths who are in the villages.”
According to him, “everybody must not be a medical doctor, lawyer or an accountant. I have seen that there are so many of our young people who are talented, and through these sporting events, the talents would be harnessed, and this will help to curb youth restiveness.”
The lawmaker explained that Ebonyi State experienced a shortage of athletes in the recently concluded national sports festival, adding that the bill, when assented to, would tackle the challenge.
Mr. Nwoke further said, “in the bill, I made this challenge to come first before the national sports festival and that is to ensure that from participants of the state sports festival, we will raise athletes who will participate in the next national sports festival.”
Continuing, he said, “this bill will help the entire Ebonyi state as it will also make our youths useful and meaningful, just as we have seen in the recent national sports festival that most of our people are in different contingents of other states, because they saw no soft landing for their carear in the state.”
Nwoke also said, “I am appealing to other members of this House to give their support so that we give this bill accelerated passage as it passed first reading today.”
The lawmaker thanked the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for reviving the sports sector in the state. He assured that members of the state legislature would continue to support Governor Nwifuru’s administration to ensure that his People’s Charter of Needs mantra is fully actualised.
