The Anambra State Government says it will establish a comprehensive database of sports administrators, coaches and instructors across the state as part of efforts to reposition sports development.

The state Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Patrick-Agha Mba, stated this at a news conference in Awka on Thursday.

Mr Mba said a statewide data capture exercise would hold from September 28 to September 30, with registration desks to be stationed at the 21 local government councils in the state.

“This initiative is part of efforts to reposition sports from mere recreation to a critical tool for youth empowerment, job creation, talent discovery, grassroots sports development and social cohesion,” he said.

The commissioner said some individuals were parading themselves as sports instructors, sports officers and administrators in schools, academies, clubs and communities without formal registration with the ministry or standardised knowledge of modern sports and safety practices.

“The ministry has constituted a committee to sanitise, structure and strengthen sports development at the base and to achieve this lofty vision, we must have a solid foundation.

“I therefore call on all sports instructors, whether in primary schools, secondary schools, private academies, fitness centres, community clubs and local governments, to take advantage of this window to get registered.

“You cannot have a thriving sports ecosystem without competent, trained and certified manpower at the grassroots,” he said.

Mr Mba said the ministry would commence mandatory registration and data capture of all sports instructors, sports officers and sports administrators in the state.

According to him, the database will enable the government to plan, support and engage sports personnel for state and national programmes.

He said registration forms would be made available at the Ministry of Education and its agencies, adding that registered personnel would undergo training and certification after a workshop to be held across the three senatorial districts.

Mr Mba stated, “This certificate will be a basic requirement for anyone who wishes to practise as a sports instructor or administrator in any public institution or any sports facility in the state.

“We are going to make sure that after every exercise, only certified personnel are allowed to train our young people because the safety and the future of our young people are paramount.”
(NAN)