Bayelsa State Government has said that it will continue to prioritise sports development as a tool to engage the teeming youths in the state positively.
The state deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made this known at the finals of the Governor Douye Diri Pre-season Tournament held at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Ovom in Yenagoa.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo said that Governor Diri's administration is not worried about the resources being allocated for the development of sports in the state.
A statement issued by the senior special assistant on media to the deputy governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, on Monday, quoted the governor as saying that sports remains one of the easiest ways to engage the youths positively.
He emphasised that sports and education would remain focal areas in his prosperity administration, saying that the two sectors can take youths away from drugs, criminality, and other social vices that are capable of destroying their lives.
Governor Diri, who described Bayelsa as the Mecca of sports in Nigeria, said he was elated to hear that ten players who took part in the Prosperity Cup would be leaving Nigeria to earn a living through sports, describing the pre-season tournament as a laudable initiative.
He noted that the government was working round the clock to host a similar tournament for Bayelsa Queens to put the girls in shape before the commencement of the Nigeria Women's Premier Football League (NWFL) later this year.
Expressing satisfaction over the success recorded in the competition, he also promised to make the Douye Diri Pre-season tournament an annual competition to prepare Bayelsa United ahead of every season.
Governor Diri congratulated the champions, Bayelsa United, their Coach, Ladan Bosso, and all the participating teams for their show of dexterity and professionalism throughout the tournament, and urged them to build on their achievements so far.
His words: "I want to thank the organizers, particularly the Ministry of Sports Development for initiating this tournament to fine-tune our teams for the new season. I am very sure that this tournament will help our team, Bayelsa United.
"Some people have criticized us for spending so much on sports. But we cannot be deterred. Rather, we are determined to do more in the area of sports and education.
"You can see with us that the other option is criminality and crime. That is why we will continue to invest in sports and education to take our youths away from drug abuse and other crimes."
In a remark, the Chairman Central Organizing Committee, Mr. Ono Akpe, said he is confident that Bayelsa United would have a productive season in the NPFL, noting that the essence of the tournament has been achieved.
He explained that apart from preparing Bayelsa United for the new season, the competition has also exposed more local players to some NPFL teams, adding that some of them would be traveling to Turkey and Finland in the coming days.
Mr. Akpe, who described Bayelsa as the home of grassroots football, appreciated Senator Douye Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo for giving sports premium attention.
He equally thanked the commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali, and the Local Organizing Committee for translating the vision of the governor.
Bayelsa United emerged champions of the Governor Douye Diri Pre-season tournament, beating Bendel Insurance 7-6 on penalties to clinch the trophy and the prize money.
The "Prosperity Boys' smiled home with 1.5 million naira, second place Bendel Insurance got One million naira while Akwa United received 500 Hundred Thousand naira for finishing third in the tournament.
