The Edo State Government has moved 282 athletes into a full residential camp ahead of the second edition of the Niger Delta Games, underscoring the state’s ambition to excel at the regional sporting event.
The Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Amadin Enabulele, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin while declaring the Team Edo camp officially open ahead of the games, which the state will host.
Enabulele said Edo would compete in 16 sporting events and is the only one among the nine Niger Delta states to have placed its athletes in a full residential camp.
He described the early camping and improved welfare of the athletes as a reflection of the state government’s commitment to sports development, attributing the support to Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The sports commission chairman urged the athletes to remain disciplined and focused, noting that they were representing the state as ambassadors at the games.
He also commended the organisers, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Dunamis-Icon Limited, for their level of preparedness, adding that facilities across Benin were nearing completion.
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Enabulele said inspections of key venues, including the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Wire Road courts and the Team Edo camp site, showed readiness levels of more than 98 per cent.
He added that the athletes would undergo double training sessions to ensure adequate preparation for the competition.
Reaffirming Edo’s reputation in grassroots sports development, Enabulele said the state remained a major producer of elite athletes in the Niger Delta.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Niger Delta Games, sponsored by the NDDC, will feature athletes from the nine states in the region and are aimed at promoting unity, youth engagement and sports excellence.