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The leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, at the national level, has lifted the suspensions of two members of its National Executive Committee, NEC.
The suspended members, Azuka Raph Chiemeka, Vice President of the South-South Zone, and Ijeoma Nwante, National Financial Secretary, were reinstated on Saturday during a virtual SWAN full council meeting over the weekend.
According to a communiqué released after the meeting, the decision to lift the suspensions came after both members expressed regret and offered apologies, which the NEC accepted.
In the same meeting, the full council also approved plans for SWAN’s 2025 membership registration.
Registration, according to the communiqué, will commence in November 2024 and close at the end of March 2025, with payments and registrations to be managed by state chapters.
Members were also observed to have been encouraged to provide accurate information on the association’s website, particularly those who did not register in 2024.
The communiqué, jointly signed by committee members Samuel Ahmadu (FCT SWAN Secretary), Sani Sulaiman (Taraba SWAN Chairman), and Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji (Ogun SWAN Chairman), also announced that SWAN’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations will include honouring 60 prominent figures in sports to commemorate the association’s 60th anniversary.
On his part, the SWAN President, Benjamin Isaiah, urged state chairmen to strengthen relationships with their respective Ministries of Sports and Sports Councils and to organise local competitions to foster sports development in their regions.
The council also expressed condolences to the families of the three Supersport crew members killed in an ambush by kidnappers on October 8, 2024, along the Ihiala-Orlu Road in Anambra State. The crew was travelling to Uyo to cover the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Libya when the incident took place.
SWAN also commended the Anambra State Police Command for rescuing six other members of the crew and as well praised the Delta State government for successfully hosting the 2024 National Youth Games in Asaba.