By Chidi Nwkopara, Owerri
The management of National Sports Commission, NSC, says it has, in its determined effort to promote grassroot sports in Nigeria, established six Sports Development Centres across the country.

The Director General of NSC, Chief Patrick Ekeji, disclosed this in an address he delivered at the Owerri Club.

“Our zeal to promote the development of grassroot sports in Nigeria has informed the establishment of six Sports Development Centres across the country, from the existing NSC zonal structure”, Ekeji said.

It was his considered opinion that these sports centres, together with the zonal offices, will coordinate the activities of sports in the states within their areas of operations.

“The state governments, sports councils and the clubs need to support and collaborate with the NSC zones in the process of using sports to achieve the millennium Development Goals and the National Transformation Agenda of the present administration”, Chief Ejike said.

He was particularly happy that Owerri Club has a 35-year history, adding that the Club is one of the formidable sports and recreation clubs East of the Niger.

“Recreational clubs such as Owerri Club, contribute meaningfully towards sports development in Nigeria from the perspective of mass/grassroot sports. It is the medium where individuals can engage in sports at their leisure time for the benefits inherent in doing so”, the NSC boss said.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Owerri Club, Chief Amaugu Ugorji, explained that the event was to recognize individuals who, by dint of hard work, intense administrative acumen and recognizable intellectual input into public discourse, have achieved success within their clime, with remarkable aplomb.