Sports
Excitement As NCF/PWC U17 Cricket Tournament Kick-Off Wednesday
By Joel Ajayi
It’s going to be the battle to finish at the 3rd Edition of the Nigeria Cricket Federation in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC National U-17 Cricket Championship finals as representatives of six geo-political zones will slug it out in a fierce competition.
The final round of the U-17 tourney for boys and girls cricket championship kicks off today Wednesday to Sunday in Abuja.
The games will be played inside the newly built cricket Ovats inside Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
It will be recalled that the preliminary round at the zonal level has been concluded and the selected players from the zones are coming to represent their zones in the final round in Abuja.
Briefing newsmen ahead of the event tagged ‘NCF/PwC Championship’ the Secretary General of Nigeria Cricket Federation, NCF, Mr Taiwo Oris said the championship is targeted at getting more children into the game of cricket and also open up opportunities for more participation.
He commended PricewaterhouseCoopers ,PwC, for bankrolling the Championship, saying the event will serve as gateway into international cricket podium for young talents.
In his address, the representative of PwC, Mr Tolu Adeleke, said the sponsorship is part of their corporate responsibility in empowering youths and taking them off the street.
He said the positive impact and the result of their sponsorship or contribution which is enormous is spurring them to extend the gesture.
While giving an overview of the tournament, the NCF Tournament Manager Bode Musa Ehizoje enumerated positive impacts of the tournament in the last three years as the number of participating states keep increasing.
He expressed that despite the challenges, progress has been made compared to previous editions where limited states participated.
According to him, this year, 31 states for the boys and 25 for the girls participated at the preliminary stage.
Ehizoje assured that the positive impact of the competition promises a better hope for Nigeria’s present and future.
Speaking on the technical aspect of the event, the NCF Technical Director Mr Joseph Eshua said that NCF/PWC U17 Cricket Tournament remains the most junior tournament in the country in the history of cricket.
He said the tournament will equally go a long way to improve the players, coaches and referees.
Sports
Speaker House Reps, Abbas, Others Thumbs NFF President Over NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel and New Training Pitches
…Says It Will Boost Nigeria’s Economy
By Joel Ajayi
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has commended the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, for initiating the NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches, describing it as a transformational project that will boost Nigeria’s economy.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, Speaker Abbas praised the initiative and pledged the National Assembly’s full support.
“This is a noble project, and the National Assembly will give it full support. I congratulate the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation, and I thank FIFA for agreeing to fund this project,” he stated while cutting the ceremonial tape.
He also assured the House of Representatives’ support for the visionary leadership of Engineer Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the NFF in other key areas where assistance is required.
Leading the FIFA delegation, Gelson Fernandes (Deputy Chief Member Associations Officer/Regional Director, Africa) reiterated FIFA’s commitment to funding the project, emphasizing that infrastructure development has been a priority since the tenure of President Gianni Infantino began.
Expressing his excitement, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau stated that the hostel and training pitches will serve all Nigerian national teams, leagues, and academies.
“Indeed, my joy knows no bounds. From the day my Executive Committee and I were sworn into office in Benin City on Friday, 30th September 2022, I was determined to push this project forward as a legacy for Nigerian football.
“For sustained success, we must provide a conducive environment, infrastructure, equipment, and support systems that enable players and officials to perform at their best.
“Building a players’ hostel and having new training pitches will not only enhance team management but also reduce costs, allowing us to invest more in grassroots development programs.”
Several dignitaries present at the event applauded Gusau’s leadership, determination, and commitment to football development in Nigeria.
The event was well attended by local and international stakeholders, including sports enthusiasts, who witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony of the NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel and Training Pitches.
In addition to the hostel, the project includes:Two new training pitches (one synthetic and one natural grass). Reconstruction of the existing synthetic pitch.
Also, Spectators’ sitting terraces with 1,838 seats.Two dressing rooms for players, each accommodating 27 players.Two dressing rooms for officials.
The construction is expected to last 24 months and is fully funded by FIFA under its FIFA Forward 3.0 programme.
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