Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s (AFN) Performance Director, Victor Okorie, has urged the five South Eastern states, Governors to fix tartan tracks at the various stadia in order to host AFN events.
Okorie who is a representative of the South East on the board of the AFN, decried the dilapidated state of facilities for athletics at the stadia in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States hence the clarion call on the Governors in the eastern region.
“I want to appreciate the contributions of the South East State governors to the development of sports in the region. They have also provided stadiums to enhance the growth of sports. It is a big plus to them,” Okorie said.
“But the governors need to do more. There are stadia in the South East either privately or government owned but none is with a good tartan tracks that will ensure athletics events are held there as and when due.
“I salute the second term re-election of Governor Hope Uzodinma and his eventual swearing in on Monday, January 15th . He has shown he is a capacity governor who has the love of all sportsmen and women at heart. We will appreciate that he uses his good office to put the tartan tracks of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri in good order.”
The silver medal list at the 2003 COJA All African Games in 400m hurdles also thumbed up the electoral victory of Governor Alex Otti (Abia), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Peter Mbah (Enugu) and Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra) but he charged them to help develop the stadiums in their domains to ensure AFN activities touch the South East also.
