Organizers of the Bayelsa State Governor Cup have promised to make judicious use of the tournament to give the teeming youth the opportunity to develop their talents in the game of football and other sports.
The Director General of the youth football tournament, Mr Ono Akpe who stated this while receiving an award by the Rhythm FM Sport crew in Yenagoa said his passion for youth development made him key into the youth development initiative.
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While urging private individuals and corporate bodies to join the government to grow Sports, Akpe expressed his readiness to continue to contribute his quota towards development of the sports sector in Bayelsa State and beyond.
He thanked the former Governor Seriake Dickson and his successor, Senator Douye Diri for their unflinching commitment to youth sports development.
“Even when he was in the House of Representatives and later Senate, every time we approached Governor Douye he always gave us support and for this we remain grateful.
“Today we are excited that already youth and sports development is a cardinal point of his administration and we promise to work hand in hand with the prosperity government.
“I initiated and propelled the Governor’s Cup which the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare during the 2019/20 finals declared as the biggest grassroots football competition in the Country.
“Some young and talented players called ‘Restoration Starlets’ selected from the 2019 edition of Governors Cup, participated in the African Youth Cup in Cape Verde where they emerged as the third best team at the tournament that had teams from Cote de’ Voire , Cape Verde and Portugal in attendance.
“The team returned home to win the Bayelsa League Cup later that year,” said Akpe