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Tag: Agnes Atsu

  • C’River woos investors, says sports facilities standard, can host any event

    C’River woos investors, says sports facilities standard, can host any event

    By Kelvin Obambon

    Cross River government has assured investors that the state has standard facilities that can host any sporting event, both national and international.

    The Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Agnes Atsu, gave the assurance on Tuesday when she, alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, received a team from the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, that was at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, to inspect facilities and determine their suitability for the hosting of MTN CHAMPS.

    Interacting with members of the team, the Commissioner informed them that Cross River has played host to several big events of national and international repute, and that the state was not resting on its oars as it continued to develop and improve upon the standard of sporting facilities at the U.J. Esuene Stadium and elsewhere.

    She then told them that for a state with a sports friendly governor, Cross River is ready and willing to meet their recommendation, if any, and put in place adequate modality in order to ensure the state does not miss the chance to host the MTN CHAMPS.

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    In the same vein, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, Mr Ekanem Ekpenyong, said Cross River has been playing host to Mobil Track and Field event, stressing that “it wouldn’t have been possible to host event of that nature if the facilities here were not up to standard.”

    Continuing, the SA said “we will give you all the support and conducive environment for you to bring that competition here. You have seen the way the state is – very hospitable. We have everything that you need. We have the equipment and we are willing to allow you use them. Cross River is sports friendly. We are hoping to bring the under 20 national team to camp here.”

    Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Taldang Tanimu, said they were in the state “to inspect the facilities in order to bring in a very gigantic event that will benefit the athletes, the children and the entire community. If given the approval, I believe this programme will make a very big impact on this state.”

    Tanimu who is the Assistant Secretary General of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, said from what they have seen on ground, “it’s good enough to host this competition – MTN ChAMPS in collaboration with MOC and AFN.”

    MTN CHAMPS is a programme in Nigeria that aims to unearth and foster athletic talent across the country. It is modeled after the Jamaican High school CHAMPS and is poised to become the primary platform for identifying and nurturing promising athletes who could go on to represent Nigeria in prestigious international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.

    Present at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports Development, Mr Samuel Egbala; head of elite sports, Mrs Victoria Ugobo; the stadium manager, Mr Andotan, among others.

  • Cross River is Open to More Collaborations, Commissioner Tells Sports Potential Nigeria

    Cross River is Open to More Collaborations, Commissioner Tells Sports Potential Nigeria

    By Kelvin Obambon

    Cross River Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Agnes Atsu, says the state is open to more collaborations and partnerships that will lead to the development of sports and other related activities.

    She stated this on Tuesday 26 March, 2024 when she received officials of Sports Potential Nigeria who were in her office in Calabar to seek collaboration and endorsement for their upcoming sporting event that would boost grassroot sports development in the state.

    The Commissioner told the team from Sports Potential Nigeria, a sports consultancy outfit, that Cross River is ready to collaborate and partner with investors and stakeholders who desire to come into the state to develop the sector, assuring them of a conducive environment.

    She thanked the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Ijom Ukam, for the synergy between the two ministries, noting that the collaboration between the Ministry of Sports Development and Sports Potential Nigeria was made possible by Barr. Ukam.

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    “I want to thank the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Development for deeming it fit to involve the Ministry of Sports Development. This collaboration would have come and ended there if there was no synergy between the two ministries. For him to bring you people to meet and collaborate with the ministry of sports development is a good thing. I want to assure you that we will give it the due consideration it requires,” she said.

    Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Ijom Ukam, who led the team to the sports development ministry, said the consultants would be given all the necessary assistance and encouragement to make sure that the programmes they are bringing to Cross River State see the light of the day.

    On his part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, Mr Ekanem Ekpenyong, appreciated Sports Potential Nigeria for coming to Cross River, stating that grassroot sports development is critical as the state has abundant of talents waiting to be discovered.

    He said the arrival of the outfit in the state was timely, because according to him, the Ministry of Sports Development ably led by the Honourable Commissioner, is poised to discover and groom talents rather than buying ready-made athletes from outside.

    Speaking on the purpose of the visit, Barr. Samson Nwokenye, Director of Sports Potential Nigeria, said as a global sports networking organization, Sports Potential Nigeria’s interest is in grassroot sports development.

    “In Nigeria we have a grassroot sports initiative where we organize events, give free materials and get our international partners to scout for talents in collaboration with corporate bodies to make commitment towards giving them global opportunities. There are other features. We have the community project. Community projects are aimed at solving problems in the society.

    “For this calendar year we have come to Cross River State to unveil our package for grassroot sports development. It basically entails collaborating with relevant government agencies. Government is the pillar of sports. Government is the regulatory agency. We have collaboration with the Spanish La liga, Italian Serie A and corporate bodies such as Zenith Bank and DSTV,” he said.

    He further stated that under the collaboration, Cross River State government would endorse the grassroot sports development initiative and also provide venue for the events, while DSTV would do the live coverage, and Zenith Bank would provide the sponsorship for the scouted players to build their career in Serie A and La Liga academies in Europe.

    Nwokenye also explained that the competition is exclusively for players in the amateur teams from tertiary institutions, secondary schools, both public and private, and that players must be 23 years and below. He added that a total of 32 teams are expected to participate while Cross River, the host state, would be given leverage to field in 12 teams.

    He concluded by promising that Sports Potential Nigeria on the long run would look into renovating the hostel facility at the U.J. Esuene Stadium Calabar, or whichever project the state would want the outfit to execute under its community project.

    In a remark, the 1st Vice Chairman of Cross River State Football Association, Mr Greg Abang, thanked the delegation from Sports Potential Nigeria for choosing the state for its grassroot sports development initiative, stating that the programme would give “our youths hope of playing in international football.”

    He assured them that the FA would give them all the cooperation and support they need to make the event a success.

    In attendance at the meeting were the state director of sports, management staff of the ministry of sports development, members of the Cross River FA, club owners, among others.

    The competition will officially be unveiled in May, 2024.

  • Cross River Receives Table Tennis Equipment Donated by NTTF Zonal Representative

    Cross River Receives Table Tennis Equipment Donated by NTTF Zonal Representative

    By Kelvin Obambon 

    Cross River has received table tennis equipment worth millions of naira donated to the state Table Tennis Association by the south south zonal representative on the board of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Mr Ama-ebi Ebikpolade.

    The Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Agnes Atsu who received the items at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar on Monday 25 March 2024, expressed gratitude to the NTTF board member for the kind gesture.

    According to Hon. Atsu, “This move shows that you are a good man. You are somebody that likes to give back to the society what the society has given to you. It shows that you recognize some sacrifices we might have made from Cross River State to put you where you are. I want to thank you that you didn’t abandon us, and I know you will not abandon us going forward. That is also to say that at all times, Cross River will also stand by you.”

    Continuing, the Commissioner said, “I speak, representing my governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, who is sports loving. Everything about sports is number one for him. This you have done, will be adequately reported to him. I want to thank you so very much for developing our children, like the one you just showed me. I was also told you have more of them.

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    “Each time I have opportunity to speak, I tell people that sports is not a government alone, stand-alone issue. If sports has made you, put back into sports industry what you got; and that’s exactly what you are doing. Help us more and more, and if we have opportunity to help back we will do. We are looking for sponsors. We are looking for investors to help us, even with facilities upgrade and all of that.”

    Speaking in the same vein, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, Mr Ekanem Ekpenyong, commended Mr Ebikpolade for reciprocating the support Cross River gave to him during the NTTF election.

    “I want to thank you very much the South South rep that you have not disappointed me because if this didn’t happen I would have felt very bad. You contested the election against my brother, but the spot was already zoned to Bayelsa, so we had no option,” he said.

    The SA also appealed to the NTTF board member to come and sponsor a table tennis tournament in Cross River, stating that it would be an avenue for talent showcasing and discovery.

    “I know you have actually done a lot for most of our athletes; sponsoring them in education. Cross River State is like a home to you,” he added.

    Earlier, the NTTF south south zonal representative informed that the visit to Cross River was part of his unity tour across the six states in the zone. He said that the state has a history deeply rooted in table tennis and had won laurels in the sport.

    “The reason of my coming here is to show love, unity and support. In table tennis, Cross River is a pivotal state. It’s a state with talents and they have proven that over the years. The state has produced champions, Olympians. When you mentioned Cross River in the presence of table tennis lovers, what comes to our minds are the champions that emerged from the state,” he said.

    On his part, Chairman of Cross River State Table Tennis Association, Ntufam Edim Inok, said the equipment donation was a dream come true, describing it as “a very big one”.

    “These items are worth millions. I am happy. I’m encouraged. It will motivate our players. Other people will see what he has done and will want to follow suit. I want to thank the young man that has done this. It is a very good thing he has done for the state,” he said.

    Items donated by the NTTF board member include two ITTF approved stiga table tennis tables that cost about N8million; the sum of N500,000 to assist in the training of table tennis youngsters, and the repair of damaged floor of the table tennis hall at the U.J. Esuene stadium.

  • Cross River Government Says State Fully Prepared For APC National Chairman’s Cup

    Cross River Government Says State Fully Prepared For APC National Chairman’s Cup

     

    …Promises To Make Tournament Colourful

    As the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman’s Cup makes headway, Cross River Government says the state is fully prepared for the football tournament that is billed to take place in April 2024, across the nation.

    The Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Agnes Atsu, stated this on Thursday when she received members of the National Organizing Committee for the APC National Chairman’s Cup in her office in Calabar.

    Hon. Atsu while welcoming the committee members, expressed the state’s readiness to host the football competition for the South South zone, adding that Cross River would go as far as making the tournament to be more colourful so as to attract the spotlight.

    She expressed confidence in the capacity of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, who is the co-chairman of the local organizing committee, to deliver a spectacular tournament.

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    She then told the delegation that the sports loving governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu “is fully ready to host more and more of this kind of tournament in Cross River because he is a sports friendly governor who has been giving us all the support, and has told us as a ministry to go out there and open Cross River State’s doors onto the sporting world.”

    The Commissioner, however, informed that the football tournament is open “to all Cross Riverians to participate. It’s not meant for APC members alone. It is for all Nigerians to be part of irrespective of political leanings. We are calling on all Cross Riverians to come and support the tournament. We are mobilizing everybody to come and be a part of it.

    “Bring your football teams to come and participate. We don’t want this trophy that came here today to go away from Cross River to another state. We want to keep it. We are calling on our best footballers in the state to come out and express themselves.”

    Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, Mr Ekanem Ekpenyong, who also doubles as co-chairman of the local organizing committee, assured the delegation that the state would do everything possible to have a hitch-free tournament that would be worthy of commendation.

    On his part, leader of the delegation, Amb. Moses Ebahor, said as a father to all Nigerians and lover of sports, the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, felt the need to empower Nigerian youths through sports.

    Ebahor, who is the National Coordinator of the APC National Chairman’s Cup and President of Miss Football Nigeria, stated that Calabar was chosen for the flag off and center for the South South zone because, according to him, “Calabar is the home of tourism. It’s the home of football. When the Super Eagles played their qualifying matches here they always won. To us, bringing the opening ceremony to Cross River State and also playing the South south zonal elimination is not out of place.”

    He disclosed that in the zonal elimination, 16 teams are expected to play the tournament from any club or football academy, adding that the two teams that would qualify from the South south zone would go ahead to compete in the national final in Abuja. The opening ceremony for the tournament, according to the team lead, is expected to take place on the 22nd of April, 2024 in Calabar.

    Shortly after the meeting with the Honourable Commissioner and the SA on Sports Development, the delegation was then led to pay a courtesy visit on the state chairman of the APC, Barr. Alphonsus Eba, who pledged the support of the state chapter of the party towards the success of the tournament.

    Highlight of the visit was the presentation of the APC National Chairman’s trophy and a pair of sports wear to the state chairman by the leader of the delegation.