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By Abiodun Adewale.
Contingents of polytechnics across Nigeria have started arriving the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State for the 21st Nigeria Polytechnic Games, which hold between Wednesday (today) and January 22, The PUNCH reports.
About 2600 athletes from 40 institutions across Nigeria are expected to be in action in Owo as schools like the Lagos State Polytechnic, Yaba College of Technology among others are expected today ahead of the opening ceremony on Saturday.
The Games were initially scheduled to hold between November 20 and December 11, 2022 but were pushed forward due to logistics.
Hosts Rufus Giwa Polytechnic have expressed readiness to give the event a befitting atmosphere as it hopes to leave a legacy in the age-long event.
“We are set for the Games. We have put in place all the necessary facilities and we are assuring participants that it’s going to be a memorable outing,” the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Samuel Ojo, told newsmen in Akure when they won the rights to host the event
“It will surely boost the economy of the state and the host community, Owo kingdom, especially the small-scale businesses that are situated around the institution.
“The LOC is working assiduously to ensure all the logistics are put in place to make the sports festival a remarkable one that would be remembered for a very long time to come.”
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr. Samuel Alagha, assured that the institution had set machinery in motion to host a successful event.
“We are expecting about 40 schools and we have estimated the number of athletes we can have, so the school has upgraded its facilities to ensure the comfort of athletes,” Alagha told The PUNCH.
According to sources within the institution, there are enough hostel facilities to accommodate athletes and officials while the school management has also procured additional 1000 beds.
The games will feature nine events: athletics, football, volleyball, basketball, badminton, tennis, table tennis, scrabble and chess.
The last edition was held in 2020 at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, where Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti came first and YABATECH finished second.
