In furtherance of its talent hunt policy, the Bayelsa State Government has said it is preparing to host a state-wide sports festival that will attract participation of athletes from all the eight local government areas of the state.
Governor Douye Diri made this known on Wednesday at the 87th Session of the weekly State Executive Council in Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor, who spoke through the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, noted that sports remained a veritable tool with which to dissuade the youths of the state from crime, criminality and drugs.
Expressing his conviction that with sports, the present administration under his watch is taking the right direction in youth development, Diri announced that efforts were underway to make the maiden Bayelsa Sports festival in November this year a reference point.
He, therefore, called on all the local government councils to ensure proper preparations and mobilisation of their sports teams for the festival.
He also used the opportunity to congratulate the management, coaches and players of Bayelsa United FC for gaining promotion to the Nigerian Premier League after several years in the lower division.
Read Also: Bayelsa Diagnostics Centre: Concessionaire exonerates ex-Gov Dickson
He equally commended the Bayelsa Queens FC that did not only win the 2021/22 Nigerian women football league, but also emerged as winners of the WAFU Women Cup staged in Cote d’Ivoire.
Diri who disclosed that Bayelsa Queens were already through to the final of the 2022 Aiteo Cup, urged the team to make the state prouder as they represent Nigeria at the CAF Women Champions League in Morocco next month.
He said: “We are investing so much in sports development. We are thanking our sponsors and partners who have decided to work with us in sponsoring our major sports festival.
“By November this year, we believe we are going to host the first truly all-Bayelsa sports festival. We enjoin our LGAs and our youths to take advantage of the opportunity and momentum that would be created to win laurels for themselves.
“We believe sports is a tool to galvanize our youths to abandon crime, criminality and drugs. We believe that with sports the state is taking the right direction.