The 2019 annual Ebonyi Under -17 Governor’s Cup football competition scheduled to hold across the 13 local government areas of the state has been shifted to January 2020.
The Commissioner for Sports, Mr Charles Akpuenuka, who announced the shift in a statement yesterday in Abakaliki, said the decision was approved at the state Executive Council meeting held on October 25.
He said that the postponement was to allow the local government areas make adequate arrangements to mobilise their youths for full participation in the annual soccer fiesta.
“This is to inform the general public that the state Executive Council in her meeting of October 25, has approved for this year’s Governor’s Cup Under 17 Football Competition to be shifted to January 2020.
“Consequent upon this, the Chief Executives of the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi are hereby put on notice of this development to enable them start their preparations now by recruiting and training their best players,” he said.
He said the main objective of the age group competition was to select the best of the budding talents in the state to be drafted into the proposed state football team.
Akpuenuka, who said Afikpo South Local Government Area was the defending champion, added that the competition was to foster unity among all the local government areas.
The Commissioner said the government was determined to deepen sports development in Ebonyi, adding that more priority would be given to harnessing potential sports talents in the state.