The Anambra State Government on Tuesday commenced a statewide data-capturing exercise for practitioners in the sports sector, including coaches, instructors and sports officers.
The exercise commenced simultaneously across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state and will run for two days before moving to Awka for continuation at the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development.
The Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Patrick Agha Mba, who monitored the exercise at some registration centres across the three senatorial districts, expressed satisfaction with the level of turnout.
Mba said the exercise was part of efforts to establish a comprehensive database of sports administrators, coaches and instructors across the state.
According to him, the Soludo administration is committed to creating an enabling sports ecosystem at the grassroots, with the aim of transforming sports from mere recreation into a tool for youth empowerment, job creation, talent discovery and social cohesion.
The commissioner urged sports practitioners to take advantage of the registration window, noting that it would provide opportunities for them to participate in training and certification programmes to be organised by the government.
One of the practitioners who registered, Nwankwo Vincent, a grassroots football coach based in Isuofia, commended the state government for the initiative, saying it would enhance the coordinated development of sports in the state.
Vincent described the registration process as seamless and expressed optimism that the planned training would improve the knowledge and skills of coaches.
“I am happy that the government is aware that the coaches exist in our various localities,” he said.
Similarly, Lucy Owon, a gym instructor who registered in Awka South Local Government Area, described the database as a good initiative that should be embraced by genuine coaches and instructors at all levels across the state.
Owon said sports practitioners had long looked forward to greater organisation and coordination within the sector.
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