Abia Hunts for Grassroot Talents, Inaugurates 33-member LOC for Maiden Football Tournament

As part of effort to unify communities and unearth grassroots football talent, the Abia State Government has inaugurated a 33-member Local Organizing Committee (LOC) to coordinate the maiden edition of the Abia State Football Festival.

The initiative is aimed at to transforming local passion for football into a state-wide platform for youth empowerment and talent discovery.

Inaugurating the committee in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, emphasized the state’s commitment to youth development and community inclusion.

Nwachukwu said the tournament is targeted at active participation of football clubs across the 184 wards of the State and enjoined the committee members to work as a formidable team to realize the objectives of the State Government for initiating the football tournament.

“We’re activating every community, every ward,” said Prince Nwachukwu. “This is about building up from the grassroots, giving young talents a chance to compete, grow, and shine.”

In his speech, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba said government plans to put up a structure to nurture the talents to be discovered in the competition, and develop them into fantastic athletes that would represent Abia State at both national and international level.

“His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti has approved for us to go all the nooks and corners of the state to organise a football competition that will drive initiative to discover football talents, put up a structure to nurture them, and make sure they are fantastic athletes that will represent Abia state in the state level, national level and international level,” he said.

“This is one of the events. We also have other sports engagements that we are doing just to discover and nurture them.
We have selected ambitious and credible people to drive this and very soon you will see the results.”

Responding on behalf of the Committee members, Chairman Abia State Football Tournament, Ide John Udeagbala thanked Governor Alex Otti for finding them worthy to serve in that capacity and assured that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.