……………Donates Coaster Bus, Official Car for Director, Among Other Incentives.
FIC Report (Abia State) – Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has announced employment for 15 victorious athletes who won various laurels at both international and national sporting competitions.
Otti, who made the announcement at his Nvosi country home, Isiala Ngwa South LGA, during a reception held for the victorious athletes, congratulated them for making the state proud.
He reiterated his administration’s abolition of the non-indigene distinction, stressing that anyone residing in Abia State is considered an Abian.
While thanking the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development for their unwavering commitment, he restated his administration’s dedication to fostering youth participation in sports and expressed gratitude to God for making the athletes’ achievements possible.
The Governor used the forum to acknowledge the efforts of former Super Eagles Player, Coach Christian Chukwu, who came to present to him his authorized biography and promised to support him by ensuring that he receives the best medical attention.
“The truth is that any society that forgets people like this is doomed to fail. You must remember where you started. This is not the time to forget him. We will look after him and ensure his health is restored”, Gov Otti assured.
In an address, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Nwaobilor Ananaba attributed all the remarkable successes recorded by the sports council to the valuable supports and unflinching love of Governor Otti to the ministry.
The Commissioner while rolling out the achievements of the sports council since the inception noted that the recent Paralympic games in France and national games held in Delta state were the direct result of deliberate investment in sports infrastructure, purchase of equipment and focused athlete’s development programs by the present administration.
According to him the sponsorship the Governor provided the athletes to compete and train in international tournaments such as Dubai, Egypt, Thailand and Kenya played a fundamental role in their success adding that the impressive performance of the athletes has added a feather in the cap for Abia state.
He commended the Governor for raising the state from what he described as extreme low level of sports development to one of the best in the country and appealed to the Governor to absorb the athletes that made the state proud to the sports council.
Presenting the athletes, the State Director of Sports, Comrade Obioma George applauded the governor for his support towards the grassroots development of sports in Abia, which he said has started yielding positive results.
Comrade George noted that the Governor has redeemed the Abia State Sports Council, that was in topsy turvy through the sponsorship of sporting activities, purchase of sports equipment, renovation of facilities, revealing that the last time Abia Athletes were hosted in such a reception was in 2004.
He used the forum to list the numerous achievements of the Council in the last one year of the Governor Otti’s administration in the State and described some of the Abia result as the best in the entire South East States.
He expressed the hope that the Council would achieve more laurels with more motivation in the area of provision of operational vehicles, employment of star athletes and coaches, procurement of more sports equipment, retrofitting of the sports council office and stadium as well as other challenges.
Abiakam Gloria Ifeyinwa
HOC, FIC Abia State.
