Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, Sunday, tasked the Izzi Football Association to engage their best legs in this year’s tournament.
Nwifuru gave the charge when IFA kicked off its novelty match for the 2024 season at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium Abakaliki.
According to the governor, grassroots football competition is part of his administration’s plan to harvest the talents of youths from different areas of human endeavours.
He then commended the Ekumenyi and Izzi Development Centre United for taking off the match that ended with zero goal scores. He assured handsome prizes for the winners, well-performed players.
In his part, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Richard Idike, who said the event is an annual activity, noted that three persons among the players were picked for the Abakaliki football club. He thanked the governor for his support of sporting activities in the state.
He, however, assured that the state will be participating in the national sports festival with not less than 18 athletes.
He said, “The football match is a kind of encouraging our youths to key into sports and they have been doing well. In fact, among those who played today, three of them have been selected to play for Abakaliki Football Club, AFC and it’s a thing of joy that our people are springing up to join sports activities at the national level.”
Meanwhile, Former Chairman of Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission, Engr Elias Mbam, on behalf of Izzi stakeholders, encouraged the players to be very active in the competition, noting that football players have an encouraging potential that needs to be developed, “but it only requires discipline for them to reach the zenith of the sports world. Like the celebrities in the football game that started at the low elbow like them.”
Mbam then urged the players not to abuse the opportunity and commended Governor Nwifuru for his determination to develop talents in footballing and other sports activities.
The ceremony was chaired by the Principal Secretary to the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Matthias Adum, who described sports as a hallmark of entertainment, peace, unity, and prosperity in the society.
Earlier, the IFA President, Boniface Ezzagu expressed gratitude that the beginning of the Izzi football novelty match for the 2024 season was flagged off by the first citizen of the state, Governor Nwifuru.
Talking about the benefits, Eze Ezzagu said the football competition would be used to reduce youth reactiveness, help in exposing and harnessing talents, encourage them to grow up economically, and noted that some of the IFA members are currently out of the state playing for the national and international football leagues.
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