Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has been hailed for giving Bayelsa a New Direction in Sports.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau gave the commendation when the Director General of Bayelsa Governor's Football Tournament, Mr Ono Akpe led other members of the organizing committee to present branded jerseys for Season Seven of the competition to the NFF President in Government House, Yenagoa.
Gusau, who noted that governor Diri has changed the narrative in the state since he assumed office as the state's helmsman with his foresight in the development of sports, said the governor's passion for sports has given Bayelsa a new direction in sports.
The NFF President, who hailed Governor Diri for the state government's huge investment in sports development, commended the governor for his foresight in constructing a new stadium.
To accommodate the new 25,000-sitting capacity stadium and several other projects the state government is embarking on in the area of sports, the present administration allocated the sum of N37.850 billion to the Ministry of Sports Development in this year's budget. The figure is the highest the sector has ever received since the state was created in 1996.
According to Gusau, the governor's vision to construct a new stadium was indicative of his commitment to sports development, adding that the new stadium is going to transform Bayelsa into a center of sporting excellence.
Gusau, who is excited about what the governor is doing in the sports sector, approved a five-day training course for local coaches in the state to be coordinated by the NFF technical director, Augustine Eguavoen, emphasizing that the essence of the gesture was to compliment the government's efforts.
The NFF president explained that the participating coaches would receive certificates at the end of the training, adding that the programme will equip them to become better coaches in the future.
Alhaji Gusau also donated 50 high-quality balls to support the organizers of the Governor's Football Tournament, which is Nigeria's biggest grassroots football competition.
Gusau gave assurance that the nation's football-governing body is ready to collaborate with the organisers of the competition, for a successful tournament.
The 2025 edition of the tournament, also known as the Prosperity Cup, kicked-off on Monday, February 17, 2025.
