Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has flagged-off the Abia State School Sports Festival 2020 and Ist edition of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu Table Tennis School Championship Cup.
Speaking while flagging-off the event organised by the State Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with Ministry of Education tagged “Catching Them Young” at Osusu Amaukwa Model Primary School, Obingwa Local Government Area. He congratulated the Ministry of Youth & Sports for collaborating with other relevant Ministries in achieving the festival.
Governor Ikpeazu said that Abia State was known for various sporting activities before shifting and concentrating on soccer alone. He disclosed that the essence of the festival was to re-write the narratives and ensure that pulpils and students begin from the cradle to learn different sporting activities.
The State Chief Executive, who revealed that his administration spent a huge amount of money in re-constructing the Enyimba Stadium said the State has invested much in sports, highlighted importance of sports to everyone including the young ones.
The representative of the Minister of Sports, Dr. Ademola Are described the event by the Abia State Government as laudable and stressed the need for more awareness about sports development.
He said the Federal government attaches great importance to grassroot sports, saying that the importance of sports development cannot be over-emphasized and regretted the decline of sporting activities in the country. The Federal Minister appreciated the developmental projects of Abia State under the leadership of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu
Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth & Sports Development, Chief Emeka Ikwuagwu said that the festival was instituted in line with the Governor’s mandate of reviving sporting activities. The Commissioner disclosed that the festival which has 800 public and private schools in the State as participants and categorized into males and females, would expose pulpils and students to 18 different sporting activities.
Chief Ikwuagwu said the event which is the biggest sporting activity ever done in the State could be described as a mega inter-house sports. He revealed that talents of various sporting fields would be fished out from the event and informed that the event would be an annual one.
The high point of event saw the Governor playing a table tennis game with the Transition Committee Chairman of Obingwa LGA. There was also match past from pulpils and students from various schools as well as unveiling of the the competition logo and mascot by the Governor who also lit the commemorative torch for the games.
Wife of the Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, Secretary to Government, Barrister Chris Ezem, members of the State Executive Council and other top dignitaries were present at the event.
Onyebuchi Ememanka, Esq
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
February 28th, 2020.
