FG Lauds Diri’s Commitment To Sports Dev

The Federal Government has commended the contributions of Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, to the development of sports in Nigeria.
Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, gave the commendation on Saturday during the finals of the 6th edition of the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament christened ‘Prosperity Cup’, which held at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa.
Enoh, who witnessed the final games between NDU Queens and Peremo Academy in the female category as well as male category between Ogboinbiri FC of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and Nembe City of Nembe Local Government Area, noted that since becoming minister, Governor Diri had been a recurring decimal in Nigeria’s sports sector.
He said Governor Diri has continued to encourage and sponsor the growth of football and other sports not only in Bayelsa but also has been very supportive of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, saying that the motto of the Prosperity Cup, “Taking Sports Development To The Grassroots,” resonates with the determination of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development to bring back its zonal offices across the country, just as he added  that the future of sports lies in the grassroots.
“Since becoming Minister of Sports, I have found one governor that has been a recurring decimal in Nigeria’s sports sector and he is the Governor of Bayelsa State.
“Wherever I have gone to, this governor keeps recurring. He keeps providing support, encouragement and sponsorship, particularly when Nigeria competed in AFCON. He is one governor that made a commitment to the team and redeemed it immediately.
“The Nigeria Wrestling Federation has the Commissioner for Sports in Bayelsa, Daniel Igali, as president. This governor has done more for that federation than anyone else. I am supposed to leave for Germany tomorrow to be with our Olympic team but I said I must be here and I am glad I came”, the Sports Minister said.
Senator Enoh said with over 200 teams registered for the tournament, the Prosperity Cup was a model that other states should copy.
He said his ministry in partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) might institute a similar national grassroots competition having Diri as their ally, thanking the governor for the tremendous support to the wrestling federation as Nigeria prepares for the 2024 Olympics and expressed the optimism that the support would translate to medals for the country.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa