By BANNERNEWS Reporter
Cross River State has listed no fewer than 282 athletes and 12 officials to represent the state at the forthcoming Niger Delta Sports Festival.
Chairman of the Cross River State Sports Commission, Mr Etta Lawrence Itanya, disclosed this to journalists at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar, while outlining ongoing structural reforms in the state’s sports sector.
He said the state would compete in 16 sporting events at the regional festival, noting that the commission’s core responsibility is to ensure proper coordination, preparation and readiness of athletes ahead of the competition.
According to Itanya, the selected athletes and officials will feature across various sporting disciplines during the games.
He, however, hinted that the Cross River State Government may not fund athletes’ allowances and transportation at the preliminary stage of the festival.
“The 12 officials we mentioned are those the Niger Delta Sports Festival organisers intend to sponsor,” he explained, adding that allowances would not be paid by the state government.
Itanya said the festival organisers, in collaboration with Dona Miss Consultants, would be responsible for allowances, transportation and logistics for both athletes and officials throughout the competition.
“At this stage, the organisers want to be fully in charge of allowances and transportation to and fro,” he said, noting that the arrangement is consistent with what obtained in the previous edition.
He added that the commission adopted the approach to ensure financial clarity and avoid administrative overlaps that could hinder athletes’ participation.
Meanwhile, Itanya disclosed that Cross River State has formally submitted a bid to host a future edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival.
He further noted that the Niger Delta Sports Festival involves the nine states of the Niger Delta region.
