For winning the first ever Nigeria Football Professional League (NFPL) for the state in 2020/2021 football season, Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state, on Thursday, hosted the players and crew to an official reception at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo where he splashed gifts and cash on them.
The governor at the event announced a donation of N100 million, a 32-seater Bus and a plot of land each to Akwa United Football Club (FC) players and management.
Emmanuel expressed appreciation to the team for making the state proud by emerging champions of the elite division of the Football League, urged them to stay unbeaten in the new football season which commences this December, promising his continuous support to the team.
He said, “I thank the Nigeria Football Federation, my Commissioner for Youths and Sports, my entire Executive Council members for their support, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, the judiciary, the stakeholders, religious leaders for their prayers, women, youths, security agencies, the entire team who played the matches, and all those who stood by us to achieve this success.
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“Let me specially say that I am proud of the team, you have done us proud, and from the coach to those who have gone for greener pastures outside we are grateful for this achievement. Often they say that getting to the top is not a problem but you must stay at the top, so you must maintain, you must sustain, you must keep it up.
“Chairman these are the keys to a brand new 32 seater bus for your team, I have the permission of the Executive members that the entire team that won the first league in this State whether you are from Akwa Ibom or not all of you including the coach will be given a plot of land in Akwa Ibom State”.
“We will also give you the sum of N100 million so that it will encourage you to do more. As government we promise we will support you fully and I have made that commitment, if you call me next year to lift the CAF trophy I will double what I have given today”, the Governor promise.”
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The Governor appreciated the efforts and contributions of the commissioner for youths and sports, Monday Uko, and chairman of Akwa United Football Club, who is also the senior special assistant (SSA) to the governor on sports, Paul Bassey, for their selfless sacrifices which has earned the team success.
He announced January 2022 as date for the official commissioning of the Eket Sports Stadium, assuring Akwa United players that the stadium will avail them of training in both natural and synthetic football pitches.
“The Commissioner of Youths and Sports is owing me Eket Stadium so that you can train in both the natural and synthetic in case you go to play outside you can be familiar with both and he has promised me that by end of January, 2022 we will commission Eket and all of you will be there to play,” he said.
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