Governor Duoye Diri has made known Bayelsa State’s proposal and bid to host the 2028 National Sports Festival, the 24th Edition of the competition.
The Governor alongside Hon. Bukola Olopade, Director- General of the National Sports Commission, inspected facilities in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
This is the first time Bayelsa State, since its creation twenty-nine (29) years ago, is announcing its intention to host the competition.
Governor Diri made known on X: “I received my brother and friend, the Director- General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. @BukolaOlopadee, and his team, who are in Yenagoa to inspect facilities in accordance with our proposal and bid to host the 24th edition of the National Sports Festival in 2028.
“For the first time after our state creation about twenty-nine years ago, Bayelsa as a great sporting state is making history with this intention to host the festival.”
Follwing the inspection of facilities, the Inspection team expressed the South-South State’s “readiness and preparedness” to host the event.
The Governor said: “I am happy that the preliminary reports of the inspection team on our proposed facilities confirm our readiness and preparedness for hosting.”
Diri revealed, his administration is currently constructing a “modern 27,000-capacity” Stadium which will be completed in 2027
Governor Diri continued: “We have bolstered our intention with the ongoing construction of a modern stadium with a 25,000-capacity, which should be ready in 2027.
“As a Government of Assured Prosperity, we have continued to invest in our youth through sports and our approach to grassroots sports development is paying off with the discovery of young talents in different sports like wrestling, swimming, football, athletics, and board games among others.
“It is very deliberate that we are engaging our youth in both education and sports to create more opportunities for them to shine.”
