Sport can deliver socio-economic change, says Irimari
OSHAKATI – Oshana regional governor Elia Irimari ardently believes improved investment and technical support towards sports development can greatly assist the country in tackling ills such as youth unemployment and lack of opportunities to showcase talents.
Speaking to New Era Sport on the sidelines of the Northern Regions Senior Amateur Boxing Championship held at the Oshakati Independence Stadium over the weekend, Irimari expressed great delight with the impact and quality of the boxing event and said it was a display of how sport can unite communities. The championship was hosted by the MTC Kilimanjaro Boxing Club.
Not only that but Irimari said if used optimally, sport can open many doors of hope and confidence for youth who might be struggling academically, as sport can create a unique platform for these athletes to survive and make a decent living from their God-given talents.
Irimari, a big advocate of youth and women empowerment through sports, told this publication that it is his wish to see more sporting events coming to his region and vowed to work closely with all sport stakeholders in the Oshana region to make sure they attract and host more events.
By making the Oshana region the sporting hub of northern Namibia, Irimari said the region’s youth will be accorded plenty opportunities to expand their horizons and hopefully become professional athletes who will represent the country at major international events in the near future.
“As governor, I really have to emphasise that hosting such events in our region is important, especially for nurturing youth talents and giving our youth opportunities. It shows how much we, as a region, are committed to giving our kids platforms to showcase their talents by doing what they love doing. After a long while without having such events in the region, I am sure it’s a huge relief for many of our people to go out there and gather in numbers. Such events like the one of boxing creates opportunities for many of our street vendors who have been making loses since the lockdown came into effect, so it’s a good thing for the region and I want to see more such events taking place here – not only boxing,” said a delighted Irimari. The governor went on to thank sponsors for their continued support in discovering and nurturing talents around the country, further appealing to the public to continue supporting local sports.
“Also special thanks to sponsors MTC and the stable MTC Kilimanjaro Boxing Club for setting up this amazing event; these are good platforms to give the Namibian boy child that unique opportunity to showcase their talent and realise their dreams. Such platforms also help in keeping those [youth] away from the dangers on the streets. I am also happy the safety and health regulations of Covid-19 were well adhered to and I can only urge the community to continue following all guidelines as battle together to defeat the pandemic.”