Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has urged States in the country to pay greater emphasis to grassroots sports development as part of measures towards improving Nigeria’s performance in international sporting meets.

Governor Uduaghan speaking on Friday, June 13, 2014 at the 2014 Warri Relays and Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Golden Grand Prix in Warri observed that development of grassroots sports was one sure way for the country to raise stars that would win laurels for the country.

Dr. Uduaghan commending the initiative of the Grand Prix, view it as a veritable avenue to discover and nurture young upcoming athletes that would do the State and Nigeria proud in the future.

He remarked that the State’s policy on grassroots sports has paid off, producing the likes of Blessing Okagbare and others that have brought honours to the country.

Governor Uduaghan said the State was proud to have produced such stars and was not tired in raising future sporting champions for the nation.

The Governor explained that the State’s Sports Development Programme was focused on areas it has comparative advantage over others and urged other states to pursue similar policies that would place the country on a better sports footing.

According to him, the Warri Relays and CAA Golden Grand Prix, besides its primary goal of raising young athletes, served also as part of his administration’s programme of re-branding the city of Warri.

Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Mr. Amaju Pinnick had in his welcome remarks observed that the State’s investment in sports was yielding result as could be measured by the number of stars that have come out of the state to win medals for the country, adding that the State was also leading in swimming and other sporting events.