NIPOGA 2012: Laspotech To Host Technical Confab

P.M.Sports can report that Lagos State Polytechnic, LaspoTech will play host to the conference of the technical officials and coaches of all polytechnics ahead of the 2012 Nigerian Polytechnic Games, NIPOGA.

The two-week NIPOGA is scheduled to take place in April at The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State with over 60 polytechnics across the nation participating in more than one event in the tourney tagged Ede 2012.

The conference of the games’ technical officials earlier scheduled for 17 and 18 January has been postponed due to the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to protest the increase of pump price of petrol, which lasted from 9 -16 January. The conference will now hold at the Ikorodu campus of the LaspoTech from 31 January to 3 February.

Chief Coach of Lagos State Polytechnic, Austine Jofortan, told P.M.Sports that the management of the participating institutions have been working round the clock to ensure that the meeting is successfully held.

“The meeting of the technical officials has been postponed,” said Jofortan, who led LaspoTech to a successful defence of the Lagos Tertiary Games last year November.

“It has been decided that the meeting will be held from 31 January to 3 February. We are working very hard to secure accommodation and other logistics for at least 60 coaches who will attend the meeting,” he said.

Jofortan said that at the meeting the attendees will among other things deliberate on the technicality involved in the organisation of NIPOGA this year, student accreditation, etc.

He said the Head Coach of The Polytechnic of Ibadan, Oyo State, Mr. Idowu,will preside over the four-day meeting.

“All the qualifiers for the competition will soon start. The qualifying series will be played in all ball events, while other games will hold in the finals in Ede in April as already scheduled. I want to thank the management of LaspoTech for giving its backing to the hosting of the technical meeting. The meeting is very crucial to the organisation of NIPOGA, which enters its 17th edition this year,” he said.

The 16th NIPOGA was won by host, Nuhu Bal Polytechnic, Zaria, while The Polytechnic, Ibadan and LaspoTech came second and third respectively.

Events to be competed for in this year’s tourney include athletics, handball, squash racket, tennis, badminton, hockey, table tennis,volleyball, basketball, soccer, judo, chess, scrabble and taekwondo.

The Local Organising Committee, LOC, headed by the Rector of The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Dr. Joseph Oke, has ruled out swimming in the championship because of lack of facilities.

—Taiwo Adelu