Medalists of the Bayelsa State Contingent to the 2011 National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital have been assured of Government’s willingness to accord them proper recognition.
Governor Seriake Dickson gave the assurance when a delegation of the state contingent to the forthcoming National Sports Festival Eko 2012 paid him a courtesy visit in Government House Yenagoa.
Commenting on the non- payment of their entitlements and other issues relating to their welfare, the Governor promised that he would interact with them before their departure to Lagos, while steps would be take to address their grievances.
He noted that even though most of the issues were carried over from the preceding administration, he has decided to give them the desired attention, adding that government is a continuous process.
While responding to the problem of determining the actual number of medalists to be accorded recognition, the State Chief Executive said he would not be associated with any sharp practice in honouring the medalists.
Expressing government’s commitment and passion for Sports development in the state, he urged those who participated to work with the Commissioner for Sports Development to identify the athletes who won medals as well as those who achieved 5th positions in their events for proper recognition.
Governor Dickson also charged the contingent to Eko 2012 to put in their best and win medals for Bayelsa State, assuring that their efforts would be rewarded.
Explaining the rationale behind the small contingent to the forthcoming Sports Festival, the Governor said the measure was borne out of the need to plan effectively within available resources for subsequent editions of the festival to achieve success.
According to him, government is already putting critical Sports infrastructure in place and also upgrading existing ones to enhance the training and discovery of talents.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Sports Development, Chief Mitema Obodor said, medalists who participated in the last Sports Festival were yet to be hosted by the state government.
Highlighting other issues in the Sports Ministry, Chief Obodor noted that the list of medalists was doctored as they were more than the actual participants in the Garden City 2011 festival.
As a way of resolving the issue, the Commissioner said government has ordered a verification and revalidation of the actual number of medalists, which he promised would be attended to.
He also informed the Governor that the Bayelsa flag is to be hoisted in Lagos, venue of the 18thNational Sports Festival, explaining that the day the flag was to be hoisted was when the state received the torch of unity.
In his remarks, one of the state’s athletes, a Weight Lifter, David Adeyemo gave an assurance that they would make the state proud and appealed for the provision of more training facilities to enable them excel.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State
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