Abia State Sports Council has expressed its readiness towards partnering with relevant bodies for sports development.
The Director of Sports Abia State, Comrade Obioma George, who disclosed this during the commissioning of Roland Stanley Foundation (RSF) in Akwete Ndoki Ukwa-East Local Government Area (LGA), lauded the NGOs for their interest in developing sports at the grassroots.
This, he said is key towards curbing youth restiveness and creating massive jobs for the unemployed, urging critical stakeholders to invest in youths through sports.
He lamented that Ukwa-East LGA has not been getting it right in sports compared to other LGAs in Abia state, emphasizing that benefits from sports will help young ones to be economically relevant.
Comrade Obioma assured them of government support, calling on well-meaning Nigerians who are good in sports to reach out to the council.
In his words: “It is time to embrace sports. If you can’t play football, you can run but by all means be a part of the sports community in Abia to improve your worth”, Obioma implores youths.
Meanwhile, a Non Governmental Organization RSF has offered scholarships to indigent students, free fertilizers, improved cassava stems, farm land portion and Cash to rural farmers among others.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Foundation in Akwete Ndoki, Ukwa-East Local Government Area (LGA), Abia State, the founder of the NGO, Chief Azuakolam Roland Stanley, Akú ruo Ulo 1 of Umuihueze Akwete, disclosed that the organization is committed to empowering individuals and transforming communities through strategic initiatives in education, workforce career development, agriculture and sports.
Represented by RSF Operating Officer, Mr. Charles Elekanachi, he underscored the importance of agriculture in sustaining communities and food security, hence, the need to support local farmers through resource provision, training and funding.
Mr. Stanley said that the foundation is disturbed by the number 20 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, revealing the foundation’s decision to make quality education accessible to indigent students from secondary to tertiary levels.
The philanthropist who had also donated N10m recently to assist in the re-electrification of Ndoki, decried the harsh economy in Nigeria, noting that the gesture is a way of giving back to the society.
He added that their football academy is also open to nurture young talented ones to stardom.
In his remark, the Chairman of the occasion and the former member that represented Ukwa Federal Constituency at House of Representatives Abuja, Rt. Hon. Emeka Stanley, described the founder as a rare gift to Ndoki, Ukwa-East, Abia state and Nigeria at large.
The former Deputy Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly also enjoined beneficiaries to make utmost use of what they received from the foundation, adding that it takes a benevolent heart to give to the downtrodden.
He called on Nigerians to emulate Mr. Roland Stanley’s bid towards raising the livelihood of the less privileged in the society.
Cutting the inauguration tape to formerly launch the foundation, Dr. Elsie Anariochi Stanley, the founder’s elder sister, thanked God for Mr Roland Stanley, his vision and mission.
She charged beneficiaries to maximize the opportunity, praying God to sustain the foundation.
In his goodwill message, the Bishop of Anglican Communion, Ukwa Dioceses, Rt. Rev’d Manesses Chijiokem Okere, thanked the philanthropist for the wisdom to give back to the people, assuring the people that it will change the narrative in Abia and Nigeria at large.
The Anglican cleric also prayed to God to continue to bless the Foundation and the founder so that their vision to touch people’s lives positively would endure.
Contributing, the youth President, Umueze Akwete Ndoki, Mr. Diorgu Markinze Chinenye, thanked Mr. Stanley Roland for the gesture to remember and uplift the downtrodden in the rural communities.
He urged other well-meaning Ndoki people and Abians to prioritize the empowerment of youths, insisting that the increasing teeming unemployed in the society remained a danger to the society.
Prof Chinenye Sunday, former Chairman, traditional rulers council, Ukwa East LGA chapter, Eze Tony Nwagbara, traditional ruler of Akwete, Eze Daniel Nwuzor, Civil Society Organizations (CSO), religious groups, cultural groups, Chiefs, government functionaries among others graced the event.
