Commissioner proposes Ebonyi Football League
By Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Ebonyi Local Government Area football team has won the inter LGA governor Nwifuru’s football competition with two goals to one.
Recall that the state ministry of Sports and Youths Development led by Hon Richard Idike on 29th July, 2023 flagged off the Inter-LGA Governor’s Cup Football Competition at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki.
The state Commissioner noted that the football competition was organized as a way to foster unity and select players that will represent the proposed football club in the state.
Idike commended the state governor Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for his vision to revamp the sporting sector and other sundry achievements within the first one hundred days in office.
He announced that the state governor had equally approved for Ebonyi state participation in the 2023 National Youth games that’s to hold in Asaba, Delta state.
However, the Commissioner lamented that the ministry has no operational vehicles, hence, appealed to the state governor for the gift of mobility to enhance their sporting activities within the state while marketing the image of the state across wilder society.
He further sported out the low human manpower in the ministry and appealed for employment of more coaches, organizing secretaries and active athletes in the state sports Council as to enable them perform optimally.
Idike, who acknowledged the importance of sports in the diversification of career among the youths equally called for the purchase of slots for male and female footballers in the national league.
The state Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development also called on the private and corporate Organizations to support the policies and programmes of the state government in promoting sporting activities in the state knowing that such would help in dissuading the mind of youth from social vices.
He also announced that the sixty(60 players ) best legs discovered during the football competition would be assembled and groom pending the state governor’s approval as State football team.
Earlier in his remarks, Gov Nwifur during the prize presentation condemned an horrendous attitude displayed by some of the players which he described as ‘shameful and embarrassing’.
“I did not expect the players to behave unprofessionally.
“Anyone not happy with a referee’s decision should not get to him but complain to the relevant officials.
“The person will still get a response and I I’m sure with what the sports commissioner told me, we will not have a repeat of this kind of violence,” he said.
The governor noted that to forestall such occurrences, match officials for subsequent competitions will come from other states.
“The match officials would not be known to anyone or any team.
“The sports commissioner has, however, shown his strength in organizing such a competition and we would continue providing opportunities to empower and unite our youths,” he said.
He announced the floating of a football outfit for the state but remarked that membership would be sourced from the three senatorial districts of the state.
“We would first float teams in the three districts and then select the best players to form the state’s main outfit.
“They would be nurtured for a year and be well equipped to excel at the highest level,” he said.
Nwifuru also augmented the prize money for the victorious teams, noting that this was in appreciation of the player’s gallant efforts.
“The commissioner told me that the winners would receive N1 million but the government would add N2 million to make it a total of N3 million.
“The runners-up was supposed to receive N700,000 but we would add N1.2 million to make it N1.9 million.
“The third-placed team was to receive N500,000 but we would add N1 million to make it N1.5 million,” he said.
However, Ebonyi LGA won the trophy by beating Ishielu 2-1 while Ohaozara LGA came third by defeating Izzi 1-0 in the third-place match.
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