Anambra State has been agog in the past week as delegates from the twelve zonal commands of the Nigeria Police, including the Force Headquarters, participated in different sporting activities across different locations of the state.
Such activities promote national unity and understanding. They also offer the host states the opportunity to build and develop sporting facilities. As hosts, Anambra was able to develop some major facilities that will boost sports development.
Perhaps where this is most seen is at Ekwueme Square, Awka, where an Olympic standard swimming pool was built in record time and utilized for the games. Other facilities like handball and basketball courts were equally built at the place, making Ekwueme Square to look like a near complete sports centre.
Given that Ekwueme Square is where many Anambra people gather, mostly on Saturday mornings, to exercise and engage in sports, the addition of those facilities there will no doubt lift the spirits of those who troop there on weekends.
While it is true that the games have come and gone, the facilities will be enjoyed by Anambra people.
The games were also expected to boost the revenue profile of the state, with the state government N1.5B from hosting the games. The games also served as an opportunity for business owners in the state to invest their gains wisely, judging from how important the games were to their businesses economically; even as the state’s young sporting talents had the chance to be taken by the force which had earlier announced its readiness to take on young sports talents.
More importantly, the games also served as a ground for creating a synergy between the police and indigenes of Anambra State. The conviviality between both groups served as proof that they can coexist gainfully.
We congratulate the Anambra State Government on the successful hosting of the event and hope that the gains made will be sustained, while the people of the state look forward to the complete turnaround of the sporting sector in the state.
