REPORTER: PEACE AGBO
Arrangements have been concluded by the Abia state government to host one thousand undergraduates from Public and Private Tertiary institutions in Abia State tagged Tertiary Education Sports Fiesta in twenty six sporting activities.
Speaking in a joint news conference in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Professor Uche Eme Uche, said the Sports Fiesta is being put together by the Ministry of Tertiary Education and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development.
Professor Eme Uche who described the initiative as a landmark intervention by the present administration explained that the measure aimed at revitalizing extracurricular life in higher institutions and groom new talents.
According to the Commissioner, students from the Tertiary Institutions in the State often rely on NUGA Games, which are irregular and usually held far from the state, leaving them with limited sporting engagement.
She thanked Governor Alex Otti for the swift approval of the Sports festival alongside the sum of 500,000 to respective participating institutions to enable them to prepare well for the championship.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba, said the fiesta will hold across three key venues which are Umuahia Township Stadium for Track and field events, Ibeku High School for football matches and Ridge Club Umuahia for the lawn tennis games all in Umuahia.
While describing the initiative as a strategic continuation of the State’s Youth-development programmes, Sir Ananaba, explained the state government had launched the Secondary School Unity Games, all aimed at promoting sports and fishing out talents in the state.
Correspondent Peace Agbo reports that the four days event which would commence next week Tuesday will feature the unveiling of the “New Abia Pioneers Club; value-orientation platform to promote excellence, discipline and alternatives to cultism and drug abuse.
