BY NATIONAL PANEL REPORTERS
L- R: Senator Obinna Ogba while receiving the award from the Chairman of Ebonyi SWAN, Mr Emmanuel Anike Nnaji.
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Ebonyi State Council led by Mr Emmanuel Anike Nnaji on weekend honoured Senate Committee Chairman On Youths and Sports Development, Senator Obinna Ogba following his contributions towards sports development in the state.
This was coming as a part of the activities marking the SWAN week in Ebonyi State.
Speaking during the event, the highly visible elated Senator representing Ebonyi Central who is also the Senate Committee Chairman On Youths and Sports, Chief Obinna Ogba described the honour as a good omen.
Hear him: "I want to thank the Ebonyi State SWAN for honouring me with this Award. I feel very much delighted and I also thank the Almighty God for giving you people the enablement to celebrate this year's SWAN week.
"I will continue to associate myself with SWAN Ebonyi State Council because SWAN in Ebonyi State is doing very well.
"To be a Patron is not an easy task and I equally know that to whom much is giving much is expected. God willing, I will always be there when my attention is required. I thank you so much and may God rewards you all.
"For a very long time, SWAN in the State has been relegated or dormant in Ebonyi State because there are no sporting activities but I want to assure you that within a short time everything in Ebonyi State will all be sports; every human being in Ebonyi State engages in sports both old and young because sports is wealth and you can not do without it. Senator Ogba who frowned upon the snail spate development of the sports sector in the state noted that such have denied the state youths a lot of opportunities.
"In Ebonyi, we don't participate in anything sports both at the National league. Ebonyi State is the only state in the federation that doesn't have a football club and it doesn't speak good of our youths.
He added that "there are a lot of talents among the teeming youths of Ebonyi State including Young and old. The Senate committee chairman on youths and sports hinted that his bill for the establishment of federal Sports Universities in the state would go in a long way to reduce crimes as most talented youths would take advantage of the institution to build their career in the sector.
"Don't forget that my Bill for the establishment of federal Sport University has been passed by the Senate waiting for Mr. president to asset and when that is done it will be sited here in Nkalagu community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and you can not beat it.
"The Bill is to run a full fledge University awarding Degree Certificate including Diploma etc. While in the University you do sports and academic work too. The two go hand in hand. You will find out that eliminate school drop out. A student in the university who could not pass his academic work would have great in one sporting activity or the other. The University will also help eliminate crimes in society."
