Enugu Sports Clubs seeks facilities upgrade to host 2026 National Sports Festival

The Enugu Sports Club has solicited for the upgrades of it facility to enable it properly host the 2026 National Sports festival scheduled to take place in Enugu by September next year.

Enugu state will host the 2026 sports festival and the sports club is designated as one of the venues that will host some of the games of the festival.

The sports club however pleaded with the state government to enable it combat encroachment on its land particularly at golf club, noting that its land has been grossly tampered with at the golf section of the sports club.

The Chairman of the sports club, Bar. Ifeanyi Nweke made the pleas when his executive committee was inaugurated during the weekend to run the administration of the club for the 2025/2026 session.

While appreciating the governor for his immense support to the foremost club established in 1929 by the Colonial Masters, the Elite Association said the news of the encroachment was distressing.

Held at the Club's Auditorium, dignitaries who are members of the club attended, such as former president General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, 2023 presidential Candidate of All progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and former Chief Judge of Anambra state, Justice Peter Umeadi; the clubs immediate past chairman, Sir, Nnanna Victor Atuonwu; Secretary of police Service Commission, Barr. Onyemuche Nnamani, among others.

Barr. Nweke, the 30th Chairman, noted that these "unauthorized activities are causing conflicts and posing a threat to the club’s integrity and property."

He equally Solicited the state government's assistance towards improving the club’s revenue base through the completion of its abandoned hotel project as well as assisting it with an Ambulance to attend to Emergency health issues of members.

Nweke, also used the fora to appeal to governor to help them in installing more Solar energy power systems so as to reduce the monthly bill on electricity and diesel, adding that the Club needs not less than N10 million to furnish its staff quarters currently in bad condition.

According to him, "We are appealing for general support from Your Excellency in many fronts to help the club meet with its current obligations and futuristic plans to reposition the club to be the best in the country,” 

The Chairman, applauded the governor for his resolve for the state to host the upcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) and designating some of the club’s sections as host for some of the festival’s sporting activities.

He said "We appeal to you to assist the club to put facilities to be used in the festival to the required international standard as well as get the state-of-the-art facilities and fittings for these sports events,” he said.

Nweke, also expressed appreciation to Mbah for bringing “an inspirational leadership” with a clear cut desire to transform the state in a hurry; thus, making Enugu State development trajectory a reference point anywhere in the country.

“Your Excellency coming to lead Enugu State is not by chance but a carefully planned desire to make the difference and reposition the state for all round development cutting across sectors and locations,” he added.

Earlier in his remark, Chairman of the occasion, Chief Nnia Nwodo, lauded the new Chairman of the club, Nweke, for already hitting the ground running, urging past leaders and members of the club to throw their full weight behind so as to enable him succeed.

Nwodo also called on Nweke, to resuscitate the children section of the club and make it flourish with educational and cultural orientating events.

In his speech, Governor Mbah, who spoke through the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Barrister Ugochi Madueke, hailed the achievements and already existing projects the club had handled in a short while under the watch of Nweke.

He assured the club and its new Executive of his government's continued support.

The event came to a climax with the swearing in of the new executive members and presentation of Award of Excellence on some notable dignitaries in Nigeria.