The Benue State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has donated chess equipment to the state Sports Council, just as it urged the state government to hasten completion of work at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi.
State chairman of SWAN, Emmanuel Uja led his officials to present the equipment to the council as part of their social responsibility to elevate sports in the state. Uja, who expressed satisfaction with the performance of athletes from the state, urged them not to relent in their effort to do more honour to the game of chess in the state. While stressing the need for government to hasten work on the stadium in order to enable athletes use the facilities for training, the chairman disclosed that the donation is in fulfillment of his pledge to ensure chess competition for players that would enhance the standard of the game in the state. In his remark, the Director of Sports, David Orngu commended the state SWAN for encouraging the game of Chess in Benue State, noting that since becoming a sports administrator in the state, no association has acknowledged the game of chess by donating equipment to boost players’ morale. “It has not been easy to champion the course of sports in the state. Throughout my life in Benue, this is the first time I have seen sports writers donating sports equipment to the council in the state”, he said.
