BY WARIYAI DANIEL, YENAGOA.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has endorsed the 60th anniversary and Sports Icon Awards of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) scheduled to hold in Abuja from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31, 2025.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the NSC gave his approval for the Diamond Jubilee event when the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Local Organising Committee (LOC) of SWAN@60 visited as part of stakeholders’ engagement ahead of the ceremony.

A Statement by the SWAN @60 Media and Publicity Committee says Bukola Olopade, Director-General of NSC received the SWAN delegation led by Isaiah Benjamin, Ikenna Okonkwo and Ben Ogbemudia, President, Secretary General and Chairman of the LOC respectively at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Olapade who spoke on behalf of Dikko commended SWAN for its professionalism, visionary leadership, and commitment to sports development and administration in Nigeria through responsible journalism.

The administrator said sports writers were crucial to lending credibility to activities in the sports sector at a time when falsehood and distrust had become the order of the day.

Olapade who was presented with an award for his contributions said there was need for continued collaboration between the NSC, sports federations, and the media to promote grassroots and elite sports.

He said the ongoing partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau was an example of synergy for national progress.

The DG reiterated the Commission’s support, continued collaboration and partnership with SWAN to promote sports journalism and development adding that the award was a testament to credibility of what the NSC was doing.

Addressing the President, Olapade said, from the first time we met, I saw your visionary attitude, every one of our conversations has always been about your members’ interest.

“That has been the foundation of the image you and the General Secretary have shown.

“I must commend the professionalism of SWAN members in the reportage and management of pre-election activities within the sports community.

“I also acknowledge your role in sustaining public trust and protecting the reputation of sports administrators.

“In the past, the public space would have been filled with confusion and complaints, but you have handled information with maturity and responsibility. I sincerely appreciate that.

“I want to assure you that there is nothing you need from us that you will not get,” he said.

Olopade dedicated the award to Chairman Dikko and the entire Commission noting that their collective leadership and teamwork had greatly advanced sports development across the country.

Earlier in his remarks, the President of SWAN, Benjamin, commended the National Sports Commission for its efforts in ensuring sports development in the country.

Benjamin used the opportunity to officially invite the NSC leadership to the SWAN 60th anniversary celebration and award ceremony scheduled to hold in Abuja, the nation’s capital territory.

Other members of the delegation were Ijeoma Peter-Nwante the Financial Secretary, and Friday Joshua, member a the LOC and Assistant Secretary, SWAN FCT, Chapter.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has urged the United Nations to institutionalise the protection of the world’s deltas, including Nigeria’s Niger Delta, through a convention.

The Bayelsa governor stated this against the backdrop of increasing threats from erosion, pollution, flooding as well as shrinking salt marshes and mangroves to the world’s 25 deltas.

His spokesperson, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, in a statement, quoted Governor Diri as having spoken on Monday during the opening of a three-day “4th Mega Delta Meeting: International Conference on Dialogue Between Land and Sea” in Shanghai, China.

Stakeholders had identified the threats as a global problem that required international cooperation to find solutions and prevent the extinction of the deltas and their capacity for sustainable livelihood and economic development.

Governor Diri stated: “It is with deep emotion that I address this gathering, for these deltas are not merely places on a map. They are the lifeblood of our communities, custodians of our stories, and the fragile promise of tomorrow.

“I speak with urgency and passion — not only to list challenges, but to honour the courage and resilience of those who continue to live, work, and dream in these deltas.

“These deltas feed nations, anchor economies, and nurture biodiversity. Yet they face rising seas, land subsidence, and dwindling sediment flows. From the Yangtze River (in China) to the Mekong River (in Southeast Asia; from the Danube (in Europe) to the Niger Delta, the pattern is the same. The deltas that sustain us are under threat.”

He cited the report of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission titled: “An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Human and Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria” as detailing what happens when ecosystems are exploited without accountability.

He also said it was a reminder that environmental resilience must begin with justice.

Diri averred that the global body must take responsibility and urgent action to prevent the ongoing depletion of the river deltas.

“If deltas connect rivers to the oceans, then this conference must connect knowledge to action. That is why Bayelsa State, with the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, has been leading the call for a United Nations Convention on the Conservation of River Deltas (UNCCRD)”

Urging stakeholders at the conference to point the way forward by making a declaration of intent, he said the proposed convention would protect deltas as unique and fragile ecosystems, restore degraded wetlands and empower local livelihoods as well as mobilise global science and finance for sustainability and adaptation.

“At home, we are translating this vision into practice. We have created a Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to align our conservation efforts with opportunity.

“We are restoring mangrove forests, which are the green shields of our coastline. We are training youths and women for livelihoods in aquaculture, eco-tourism, and renewable energy.”

The conference had in attendance 180 participants from 31 countries, including policy makers, scientists and researches from the academia, community leaders and civil society organisations.

By Magnus Chukwudi Port Harcourt

The Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture, NDCCITMA, backed by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has released cheques worth N1.5 billion to 1,500 people to boost businesses in the Niger Delta region.

Speaking during the flag off of anInvestments Partnership Scheme in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of NDCCITMA, Ambassador Idaere Gogo-Ogan, said the fund represents the first phase of disbursement to empower beneficiaries in the region.

He noted that the nano group of beneficiaries, the poorest of the poor, would receive 200,000 naira each, while the micro, small-scale and medium-scale categories of the scheme would receive N3 million, N7 million, and N20 million, respectively, to boost their investments.

He stated: ” Our core mandate is to strive to reduce poverty in the region. We are optimistic that our partnership with a strong institution like NDDC will enable us to reach the poorest of the poor, small-scale businesses, and lift over 2,000 people in the region out of poverty.

We believe that robust development comes not only from the top but also from the bottom. So, when you aggregate all the categories, you can begin to see the gains of genuine economic prosperity.”

Gogo-Ogan added that the beneficiaries will have the advantage of paying a low interest rate of 0.6 per cent, noting that it would enable the Chambers to reach out to more people in the region.

He assured the beneficiaries of the investment scheme that the Chambers of Commerce would adopt a mentorship approach, providing financial support and promotions to their businesses to enable them to compete favourably with other regions in the country.

Also speaking at the occasion, the NDDC Director of Commercial and Industrial Development and Chairman of the Implementation Committee, Mrs. Lyna Okara, commended the leadership of the NDDC for establishing a body that would bring together those with the vision to grow businesses.

She maintained that the flag-off of the investment partnership scheme was timely and an indication that the region was on the path of rapid development. She enjoined the people of the Niger Delta region to take advantage of the scheme to develop and enlarge their businesses.

A Representative of the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEDAN, Mrs. Olalek Rasheed, urged entrepreneurs to ensure proper documentation to enable them to access the funds. She also advised against diverting the funds to other non-economic activities. ###.