by crossriverwatch admin
The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke has challenged corporate bodies in Nigeria to forward their terms, for partnership with government in the development of sports in the country.
Speaking at a forum with corporate Nigeria yesterday in Lagos, the Governor, whose state is hosting the 19th National Sports Festival, Calabar 2014, running from November 23rd through December 7, Imoke said, “I am not asking for donations. What we are asking for is partnership and investments. Invest in the Games and we will give you value for your money.
“We have invested significantly in the festival, already in the region of N8 billion to make it a first class festival. We will make sure feeding, accommodation, accreditation of athletes, media coverage and everything that will make the festival a first class games.”
Imoke used the forum to perform the investiture of three patrons of the festival, namely Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, Senator Bassey Ewah Henshaw, Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission and Tunde Folawiyo of the Folawiyo Group.
The event also featured a brilliant presentation by former Africa Queen of the tracks, Mary Onyeali-Omagbemi who spoke on the role of corporate bodies in the development of sports.
There were encouraging remarks from the patrons, particularly the NNDC chairman, the Dangote group and representative of Tunde Folawiyo also promised the organization’s readiness to partner with Cross River in seeing to a successful festival.
The Calabar 2014 National Sports Festival will be the first open games where both professional and amateur athletes can compete side by side.
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