The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria SWAN, Imo state Chapter in collaboration with the Imo State Table Tennis Association has concluded plans to organize a One Day Secondary Schools Table Tennis Championship.
In a press release jointly signed by Chairman, Sampson Orji and Secretary, Tunde Liadi of the competition’s Local Organizing Committee, the body disclosed that the competition is sponsored by Distinguished Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu “Samdaddy” and it is aimed at discovering talents, rekindling healthy competition among our schools as well as to help develop grassroots sports in the state is slated to hold on Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.
SWAN, particularly the Imo state chapter as a critical sports stakeholder has been at the forefront of pushing and ensuring that sports and our athletes get the necessary and adequate attention both from the public and private sectors.
As an inaugural edition which is a bit belated owing to the insecurity situation and the outbreak of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic disease that bedeviled the state in the recent past, Imo SWAN carefully and randomly selected Government Secondary School, Owerri, Holy Ghost College, Owerri, and two other schools from Ikeduru and Mbaitoli LGAs for easy management as we hope that in the next edition, schools in the three senatorial zone that make up the Imo state shall be involved.
We, therefore, wish to urge sports, lovers, corporate bodies and well-meaning sons and daughters of the state to come partner with us and support the competition so that jointly we can resurrect the dying sporting activities in our schools and the grassroots.
It is important to note here that recently the sporting associations in the state including our para-athletes have been winning laurels at regional, national, and international competitions as SWAN commends their efforts hence the desire to help shorn out more talents from our schools as we call for more support from the State Sports Commission and Sports Ministry.
Imo SWAN has however observed with keen interest and commends the renovation/construction work on sporting facilities embarked upon by the state Governor, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma through the Commissioner of Sports, Youth & Social Development, Hon Dan Chike Ogu, and the Deputy Speaker Imo House of Assembly, Rt Hon Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu (House Committee Chairman on Sports) and Imo SWAN believes that when completed that it will act as a catalyst and motivate sports returning to its glory days once again.
