The monetary reward given to athletes who represented Abia State with pride at the National Under-15 Youth Games in Delta State and the Para-Badminton Championship in Uganda has been used by Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti.
Governor Alex Otti offered N33 million to all of the participants, N22 million to the coaches, and N20 million to the two Nigerian athletes who took home gold and silver at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris while hosting the athletes in October.
The governor also vowed to buy an official vehicle for the State Director of Sports, renovate the Umuahia Township Stadium, and purchase a coaster bus for the Abia State Sports Council.
The money will be deposited into the athletes’ personal bank accounts, according to Abia State Director of Sports Comrade Obioma George, who presented the funds to the benefiting athletes at Umuahia Township Stadium in front of their parents. He added that athletes without bank accounts would get their money through their parents’ bank accounts.
In order to stop them from leaving Abia for other states or nations, he also revealed that the 15 athletes who were automatically hired by Governor Otti within the State’s Sports Council had been processed for future employment.
But he cautioned parents who will get money on their kids’ behalf to spend it wisely and instead use it to support the young athletes’ education and career advancement.
He emphasised how important it is for parents to continue encouraging their kids and wards to pursue their sporting goals.
George thanked the Governor for his steadfast support and praised Sir Nwabilor Ananaba, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, for his contributions, which have increased the Sports Council’s operations.
He listed the athletes’ accomplishments as outstanding, noting that Abia State won two silver medals at the Para-Badminton Championship and seven gold, twelve silver, and twelve bronze in the National Youth Games.
In their respective statements, the Abia Sports Council’s Director Technical, Mrs. Mary Nwachukwu Chima, and the Head of the Organising Department, Mrs. Victoria Umunna, credited the Governor’s support for the athletes’ improved performance.
As major motivators, they cited the earlier-in-the-year secondary school events and the availability of more than 24 sporting goods.
They emphasised that they had “never had it this good before” and that these measures had upped the bar for athletes’ performance. Medallist Onyekachi Goodness spoke on behalf of the athletes and thanked the governor for his involvement, saying it had reinvigorated the sport.
She pledged to put in more effort in her training so that Abia State and Nigeria could compete with pride in the future.
On behalf of the parents, Mr. Chukwudi Cletus Obi, Mrs. Joy Adanma, and Mrs. Happiness Onyekachi responded by expressing gratitude for the Governor’s actions, which they called “unprecedented.” They praised the administration’s efforts to promote youngster development and promised to keep supporting their kids’ athletic goals.
