The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has pledged its full collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government as the state intensifies preparations to host the 2028 National Sports Festival.

SWAN President, Isaiah Benjamin, made the commitment during an inspection tour of sports facilities and ongoing projects in Yenagoa led by the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Daniel Igali.

The inspection provided an opportunity for the SWAN leadership to assess the level of infrastructure being developed by the Bayelsa State Government ahead of the state’s hosting of the National Sports Festival.

Among the facilities inspected were the 30,000-capacity Igbogene Stadium, the 5,000-capacity stadium project at Sampou, the Wrestling Gymnasium and the training football pitch located behind the Government House in Yenagoa.

Benjamin expressed satisfaction with the level of work at the various project sites, commending the Prosperity Administration of Governor Douye Diri for what he described as significant investment in sports infrastructure.

He said the facilities, when completed, would go beyond serving as venues for the 2028 National Sports Festival, stressing that they would provide a lasting platform for athlete development and sports growth in Bayelsa and Nigeria.

“I want to first thank the Bayelsa State Government through the Honourable Commissioner for the honour to join the celebrations of Bayelsa State at 30 years of creation. It’s indeed a great privilege,” Benjamin said.

The SWAN President added that the scale of ongoing projects demonstrated the state government’s commitment to sports development and pledged that the association would work with the government to promote and support the 2028 festival.

“Yes, we’ve gone to a lot of ongoing projects and I can say Bayelsa is really doing well. They are preparing so massively and I wish them. I want to thank His Excellency for investing so much in sports,” he added.

Benjamin’s pledge reinforces the role of the sports media in supporting major sporting events, particularly through publicity, public engagement and sustained coverage before, during and after the National Sports Festival.

Bayelsa’s preparations have previously received positive assessment from the National Sports Commission, which inspected facilities in the state and said the state had the capacity to host the 2028 festival. The state was subsequently confirmed as the host of the 2028 edition, with Kaduna selected for the 2030 festival. 

At the Igbogene Stadium project, Dr. Dagogo Emmanuel, representing Mutual Construction Company (MCC), said the project had entered another phase following the completion of the piling works.

Emmanuel expressed confidence that construction would be completed within the agreed timeline, saying work was progressing according to the project schedule.

Igali, meanwhile, said the Bayelsa Government under Governor Diri remained committed to completing the various projects to the required standards and within the stipulated timelines.

He disclosed that supervision had been intensified, with officials monitoring the projects regularly to ensure contractors complied with specifications and delivery schedules.

“Sports development remains a major priority of the Prosperity Administration, and the Governor is determined to ensure that these projects are completed to the required standards,” Igali said.

“Our goal is to provide facilities that will not only prepare Bayelsa for the 2028 National Sports Festival but also create a lasting platform for the development of sports and athletes in the state,” Igali added.

He stressed that the investment should be viewed beyond the 2028 festival, noting that the facilities would remain useful to Bayelsa athletes and sporting communities long after the competition.

Igali was accompanied during the inspection by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports Development, Pereyi Efeke; Technical Adviser to the Governor on Sports, Sir Braveman Wodi, and other officials.