Our Investment in Sports Yielding Good Result –Bayelsa Gov, lauds State’s performance at NSF

By: Odie Ramon, Yenagoa.

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said the commendable performance of the state’s athletes in the ongoing National Sports Festival was the result of his administration’s investment in youths of the state, particularly in sports development.

Speaking during the 164th State Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday, Governor Diri noted that sports were projecting the state in a positive light as well as engaging youths productively.

He expressed delight over the performance of Team Bayelsa at the festival hosted by Ogun State, saying he received daily reports which indicated that the state, now second on the medals table, was doing quite well.

The Bayelsa governor implored the state’s athletes not to rest on their laurels and to continue to compete effectively as they still had the chance to go ahead of Delta State, which is currently tops.

He promised that the government would give a befitting reception and reward to the contingent at the end of the festival.

Diri also lauded the state’s female football team, Bayelsa Queens, for emerging champions of the Nigerian Women’s Professional League and qualifying to represent Nigeria in the Confederation of African Football Women’s Champions League.

He equally expressed delight that the state’s male team, Bayelsa United, put up a commendable showing in the just concluded Nigeria Professional Football League and charged the team to do better next season.

The state’s helmsman hailed the performance of Bishop Dimieari Grammar School and Saint Jude’s Girls Secondary School, which both won the zonal basketball tournament for schools at Asaba and qualified for the national finals.

Diri said the performance of the state’s sportsmen and women encouraged his administration to commit over N100 billion to constructing an Olympic-standard stadium.

While commending youths of the state for their exemplary conduct during the recent Boro Day anniversary celebration, the governor noted that the Ijaw nation had accepted the intellectual aspect of the struggle and called for its sustenance.

He again cautioned youths against cultism and other vices, urging them to take advantage of the government’s investments in sports and skills acquisition to be useful to themselves and make the state proud.

His words: “I have been receiving daily updates from the Commissioner for Sports and Team Bayelsa is doing very well at the National Sports Festival in Ogun State. We are hopeful that we will overtake Delta on the medals table.

“The resilience and patriotism of our athletes is commendable. On behalf of the good people of Bayelsa State, I thank and appreciate our athletes and the entire team. A very big welcome awaits you as you make us proud.

“Let me also appreciate the youths of Bayelsa. Recently, we had a peaceful Isaac Boro Day celebration. I am happy we are now seeing the intellectual part of the Ijaw struggle. I am happy with the shift in the mode our late hero is being celebrated. With time, Boro Day will attract more people that are not Ijaws.”

He also spoke about recent rival cult group clashes in the state capital and advised culprits to turn a new leaf.

“Again, I want to advise youths that their lives are very precious to us. It is not too late to leave cultism and embrace a better life. You do not need hard drugs. Tell those buying drugs for you to train you with skills as that is what your government is about. Shun cultism.”