Championship
By Mercy Obojeghren
Asaba, Aug. 3, 2018 (NAN) The people of Delta have applauded the state government for hosting the Africa Senior Athletics Championships, saying it would help to showcase the state’s potential and boost economic activities.
Mr Lucky Kekeme, the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Directorate of Youth and Development, said on Friday in Asaba that hosting the continental competition would boost economic activities as well as “announce Delta to both the local and international community”.
“This is the beginning of good things in the state and the hosting of the championships will not only open up economic activities, especially in the hospitality industry, it will attract more development to the state,” Kekeme told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
In the same vein, some of the civil servants, traders and students, who spoke with NAN, said the hosting was one of the best things that has happened in the state.
Mr Charles Muka, a retiree said: “Hosting this championships is one of the best things that has happened in the state and good things have actually started happening in the state.
“Although coming to the stadium was quite stressful but I just have to come and watch the championships because Delta is hosting the competition and it is a welcome development.’’
According to Muka, these championships will not only help to boost the revenue base of the state, it will also help to encourage grassroots sports development, especially in our primary and secondary schools.’’.
Muka commended the state government for completing the “long abandoned Stephen Keshi Stadium project’’.
Contributing, Mr Philip Chuka, a civil servant said, “It is not easy coming here to watch the championships with my family, especially when you have to trek some distance, but we just have to because this kind of opportunity hardly comes by.”
A trader, Mr James Haruna, also said that though coming to the stadium to watch the championships with the stress of looking for where to park his car and doing some trekking, was not palatable but it was a thing of joy and an opportunity for him to witness a live championships.
“I am not watching these championships through cable or television, I am right here at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba,” he said.
Meanwhile, some athletics fans, who have commended the government for the giant stride in staging the championships, urged it to provide car parks close to the stadium to minimise the stress people will go through to watch competitions in the future. (NAN)
MOA/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)