The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu said he would ensure that sports talents in the State are harnessed and exposed to the world through locally organised competitions with support from Government.
Obviously elated by the bundle of talents on display at the final of the Governor’s Cup Football Competition which held at the Umuahia Township Stadium Friday, Ikpeazu took to his Twitter handle, @GovernorIkpeazu, to say he was highly impressed by what he saw and vowed to partner the private sector for the sustainability of the competition.
According to him, with its immense benefits to the youths in particular and Nigeria as a whole, it’s a venture worth sustaining.
The competition which featured teams from the 17 local government areas of the State was won by Umuahia South who defeated the team from Aba South 5-4 via a penalty shootout
His tweets are reproduced below:
“It was refreshing to watch the culmination of our efforts to restore our past glory in the area of grassroots sports promotion in Abia through our novel Governor’s Cup Competition which kicked off in December 2020. Abia being the only state in Nigeria with two Premier League teams should rightfully be the repository of young and upcoming football stars from which Nigeria and the rest of the world can tap.
“Even though my local government lost out early in the competition, Abia State, my Abia, your Abia, our Abia won; the youth won.
“All those football scouts from Nigeria and beyond will certainly have a good harvest of young talents from this grassroots competition. And because of its benefits to our youths in particular and Nigeria as a whole, I commit to ensure the sustainability of the competition byentering into partnership as a Governmet with the private sector especially those with a track record for supporting such sporting ventures.
“The next edition of Abia Governor’s Cup is already loading! It has come to stay!”, he concluded.
