The Imo State Commissioner for Sports, Hon Obinna Onyeocha says the State now boasts of a huge number of young talents discovered during the under-13 tournament such that Heartland teams will not shop for players in the next few years.
Onyeocha made the disclosure during a chat with journalists under the auspices of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Thursday.
According to him, several young talents were discovered during the just concluded under-13 football tournament adding that the state has a huge export market in four years.
Onyeocha said “the Ministry was surprised and amazed at the quality of talents discovered during the under-13 tournament. Hopefully in the next four years, Heartland teams won’t need to shop for players outside Imo State as our players were amazing and we are proud of them”.
He disclosed that the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri has been renovated and well lighted to host any game no matter how late in the night.
According to him, the stadium had been renovated and flooded with lights to enable sportsmen and women enough time for training, saying all sports can take place irrespective of the time.
Onyeocha said “Dan Anyiam Stadium has changed and I can assure you that the Sports ministry is working. The whole place has been flooded with lights, all the street lights are working optimally and our sportsmen and women have resumed night trainings
“I was so happy when I went there at night some days ago where I met athletes and players training at night. I saw volleyball, football, handball players all training in different parts of the stadium and that gave me huge joy. Before now, most of them were forced to train during daytime for visibility. But now, the lights have changed all that and they have flexibility to train even late at night. The lights have turned night into day at the stadium”, Onyeocha said.
Further, he disclosed that Heartland Queens football club players and management will be overhauled to ease unproductive personnel.
He said “Heartland Queens players and management will be overhauled to keep only the best while those who are not in their optimum will leave. We will continue to do our best and even more. We want the best for Imo people”.
According to him, the strides achieved wouldn’t have been impossible without the support of Governor Hope Uzodimma who he said was solidly behind sports development in the State.
“Governor Hope Uzodimma is solidly behind sports development in Imo State and you can see how his support distinguished Imo State athletes and players at the just concluded South-East Sports festival that held in Enugu. Only recently, he hosted Super Falcons players from the State”.
Further, he disclosed that Imo State contingent to the National Youth Sports scheduled for August 25th, 2025 will replicate the surprises pulled at the South-East Sports festival where the contingent won nine gold medals.
