He spoke during a familiarisation visit by executives of the Ebonyi State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), led by Chairman Ndubuisi Andy Nwogha.
Mr. David revealed that the Sports Council suffers from low staff strength, emphasizing that the lack of technical personnel and professional coaches remains a critical obstacle.
“The Sports Council lacks professional bodies; we lack coaches, and our staff strength is low. As directors, we must advocate for sports development at every level we serve,” he said.
Despite these challenges, the Director highlighted hockey as one of the state’s most successful sporting teams.
“When I first arrived, hockey was consistently bringing home medals from competitions. Hockey is a sport that has firmly established itself in Ebonyi,” he said.
He also noted the remarkable growth of cricket, which, like hockey in its early days, once faced significant challenges but is now gaining recognition nationally and internationally. Mr. David likened its rise to the growing influence of Abakaliki FC in football, praising the current administration’s commitment to developing sports beyond football.
Assuring SWAN of its recognition at both state and national levels, Mr. David pledged continued collaboration.
He emphasized that neither the current government nor the Commissioner for Sports intends to abolish SWAN and promised the association would be included in empowerment initiatives and provided with office accommodation at the state stadium, similar to arrangements in other states.
Commending SWAN as the “engine room of communication,” he urged members to highlight positive developments in Ebonyi sports to the wider public.
Earlier, SWAN Chairman, Ndubuisi Andy Nwogha, expressed appreciation for the warm reception and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to working closely with the Sports Council to ensure the state’s sporting activities receive proper publicity.
Other stakeholders present included former SWAN Chairman and News Agency of Nigeria Editor, Chief Emeka Okpara, and the association’s Treasurer, Comrade Chukwuma Ogbonna, popularly known as Torchlight.
