The Honourable Commissioner for Sports, Youth and Public Safety, High chief Rodney Ajaelu has thanked the Internationals Armature Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) over the sports development equipment donated to the Imo Sports Council.
Ajaelu who expressed the gratitude during the official hand over of the athletics equipment donated by IAAF through the nations athletics body at the ministry in the state secretariat yesterday articulated satisfaction and commended the Int’l body and AFN for finding Imo state worthy of receiving such gift which, according to him will help the development of athletics at the grassroots.
He, however, charged the Ag. Director of Sports, Mr. Austine Atasie and the management staff of the Imo state Sports council including their coaches to catch in on the opportunity presented by the donation of the gift items to embark on intension training programmes in most of the schools in the Capital City with the equipment to catch them young.
While also thanking the state Governor, Owelle Okorocha for his support to Sports and the youths, Ajaelu also used the opportunity to reiterate the desire of his ministry to assure that the jinx of not hosting the State Sports Festival for over 10 years will be broken this year charging the council management and the press the partner to join in the drive of re-orientating the private sector on sponsoring sports to help develop the youths.
In a related development, the Sports Commissioner in the state, High chief Rodney Tony Ajaelu expressed confidence on the Imo State Hockey team, Heartland Flickers on their quest to reclaiming the African Club Cup Championship currently going on in Kenya.
The Commissioner, in a statement stated that so far the team which departed the shores of Nigeria last week Friday has recorded 3 victories and one draw in the four games played (as at yesterday) God willing the team is looking good to clinch the Trophy.
