Ikpokpo unveils plan to train coaches ahead of Niger Delta Games

Coaches and technical officials of the Niger Delta Games are set to benefit from a training programme designed to boost their efficiency ahead of the 2026 edition.

Sir Itiako Ikpokpo (KSM), Managing Director of Dunamis Icon Limited and Managing Consultant for the Games, disclosed this during an appearance on Channels Sports on Sunday.

He lamented the poor remuneration of coaches, questioning how they are expected to travel into communities to discover new talents under such conditions.

Ikpokpo revealed that the organisers are working with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and, specifically for this event, the Nigeria Local Content Development and Management Board to stage a workshop in January for coaches and technical officials.

He challenged governments at both state and federal levels to treat sports funding with the same seriousness as road and hospital projects.

‘For us to make any impact in sports, government must invest in sports infrastructure. It is good to build roads and hospitals, and it is also important that we invest in sports infrastructure,’ he said.

Ikpokpo, who also chairs the Delta State Athletics Association, decried the lack of sports facilities in schools, describing them as the cradle of sports development.

‘The schools are the cradle of sports development, yet we have people building schools with no sports facilities,’ he lamented.

He assured that the second Niger Delta Games, scheduled for Benin City, Edo State, will surpass the last edition in every aspect.