Kelvin Obambon|24 May 2018
The effort of Cross River State Sport Commission to revitalize sport in the state suffered a mild set back as members of the National Assembly from the state whom the Commission approached to contribute to the development of sport in the state were said to have ignored the appeal NegroidHaven can say authoritatively.
Disclosing this at a press conference today in Calabar, Cross River capital the chairman of the commission, Rt. Hon. Orok Duke, said he has made several fruitless efforts at getting the federal lawmakers to contribute to sport development in the state, even as he described sport as a veritable tool to engage the minds of the youths by redirecting them away from social vices.
He said: ''We went to everywhere. I went to Senator Rose Oko, she said she will get back to me. I went to Senator Owan Enoh —because when you are doing sport, you don't care the party. I went to Senator Gershom Bassey —quote me, he said he'll send Maurice Orok Edem to me. I have waited one year now.''
He continued: ''I called Senator Rose Oko, she said she'll get back to me. And I'll tell you again, the added information is that, at the time I called her, she said: 'Rocky, I'll see you next Wednesday when I come in.' So, I told somebody nearby, and he said she was in town already. Then I kept quiet since she said she'll call me the next Wednesday. I wanted a sponsor for a female team.
''I called Gershom Bassey. He was travelling. He later called me from London that the youth leader of PDP was going to reach me. Nothing!
"I called Owan-Enoh. He said he was having Central Senatorial Football Championship. He sent a former councillor, his PA, who came here for five days, and we sat down and drew how to sponsor a team.
"I went to Chris Agara, who said I should give him time, he want to start an amateur team. That is something nobody knew'', Rt. Hon. Duke said.
He went further to state that after all efforts to raise funds to sponsor sporting activities in the state fell through, he had to turn to the governor, His Excellency, Senator(Prof.) Ben Ayade, who immediately approved additional fund for the commission which has enabled it carryout its mandates so far.
The sport commission chairman also stated that the commission, although with funding challenges, has under his watch, recorded significant milestone, which he highlighted to include: the grooming of athletes who have won medals for the states and the nation; educational sponsorship for young athletes; initiation and completion of ultra modern table tennis complex; drilling of three boreholes; provision of adequate security personnel within and around the stadium; building of toilet facilities; ongoing construction of volleyball court, squash, weight-lifting and wrestling gym and a standard restaurant for both athletes and the public.
The chairman and his team later conducted journalists round the numerous projects under construction, with an assurance that some of the projects will be ready for commissioning next week.
Kelvin Obambon blogs for NegroidHaven
