Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, (L), receiving the winner’s cup of the 2011 Garden City Games from the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman, Tele Ikuru, when the LOC presented its report of the Games to the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday
By Ernest Chinwo
Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, has lauded the chairman and members of the Local Organising Committee of last year’s 17th National Sports Festival, tagged Garden City Games 2011, where Team Rivers also emerged overall winner with 299 medals.
Receiving the report of the Committee, led by the State’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru, at Government House, Port Harcourt, Monday, Amaechi particularly commended the LOC’s hard work and the victory achieved at the Games.
“I congratulate you on winning the 2011 National Sports Festival. I will not go through the eulogy of victory because you and I have savoured the victory but I want to say that you worked very hard for the victory. I will say to you that I am very proud of you, and I am also proud of those who competed,” he said.
He also commended the LOC Chairman, Ikuru, and other members of the committee for their financial prudence and excellent organisation of the Games.
Amaechi recalled that last year’s opening ceremony for the Garden City Games was magnificent and attracted positive remarks from a wide variety of Nigerians and beyond, and thanked the LOC for actualising the vision.
The governor restated that his administration would continue to provide sporting facilities to strengthen sports development in the state and give the state a sustained pride of place in both national and international sports.
“If we do all these, we will be creating employment and engaging our youth in meaningful activities and what it takes to do that is a small price,” he added.
He promised that the sports fields in Diobu would be recovered and put to use. “We will then start competition there and start in D/Line and we will engage as many youths as possible, and you can never tell, you may have people who will play at the national team or who will even go out of the country from there.”
Presenting the report to the governor, Ikuru said: “It is with extreme joy that we gather today to formally present to you the final report of the 17th National Sports Festival otherwise known as the Garden City Games 2011.
“It is already a joyous historical fact that our dear Rivers State hosted the festival and in line with our philosophy of the game we hosted to win and by the grace of God and by our sterling efforts, your Excellency, we won. The position of the state at the end of the game was first position with 135 gold medals, 79 silver medals and 38 bronze. In all, we won 299 medals.”