Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti said he is going to upgrade the Umuahia Township to make it suitable for Abia Warriors to be playing there in the interim. 

 

Governor Otti stated this while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Football Federation led by its President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusua in his office. 

 

The Governor said that the upgrade is in the immediate term and reaffirmed his commitment to building a stadium city in Umuahia which he said would give a long term solution to lack of good stadia in Abia State. 

 

“On the issue of the stadium, the Umuahia Township Stadium, not too long ago, I had given approval to upgrade the place and make the place what a stadium should look like. 

 

“In the immediate term, we are going to upgrade it and make it a standard township stadium. We’ll do the futuristic one as time goes on. 

 

“But that is a short-term solution we are trying to put in place. We have a long-term solution, which is the Abia Stadium City. 

 

“The land has been acquired and work is going on right now with the design. It’s not just a stadium, but it’s going to be a stadium city. It’s a complex. 

 

“We’re going to have even an entertainment village at the back of the stadium city. We’ll have plazas, we’ll have a conference centre, we’ll have residential apartments”, Gov. Otti stated. 

 

The State Chief Executive noted that football, and sports in general, make people happy, adding that, governance and leadership is about making people happy. He acknowledged the support that his administration is receiving from the NFF and assured them that Abia State Government would sustain the support it equally gives to the body. 

 

Governor Otti who assured that he would do his best to ensure that Abia remains on top and win trophies in sports activities, used the opportunity to congratulate the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Almed Tinubu on the recent performance of the Super Falcons. He reiterated that he would be hosting the Abia indigenes who were part of the victorious team. 

 

Speaking earlier, the President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau said that he came to Abia State to congratulate Governor Otti on what he is doing in sports in Abia State and Nigeria. 

 

Alhaji Gusau urged Governor Otti not to relent in his effort in sports development and described Abia as a home of football in Nigeria, recalling that the State’s team (The Enyimba Football Club) has won the African continental competition back to back. 

 

“Abia has been a home of football and there is no way you can write the story of sports in Nigeria without mentioning Abia State. 

 

“It is only in Abia that we have a club that won the continental trophy back to back”, Alhaji Gusua stated. 

 

While acknowledging that Abia Warriors under Governor Otti is one of 3 top clubs in Nigeria, the NFF President requested and urged the Governor to fix the Umuahia township stadium and promised to provide the needed technical support to ensure that the stadium is well fixed. 

 

In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of Abia State Football Association, Rev. Dr. Obioma Onyeaghala appreciated the Governor for the good works he has done in Abia. He informed the audience that he is a medical practitioner and works with the Abia State Teaching Hospital and a beneficiary of Gov. Otti’s people oriented approach to governance. He thanked the Governor for defraying 25 months of the 26 months arrears of salaries owed to medical professionals and staff of the ABSUTH by the immediate past administration and encouraged the Governor not to be distracted. 

 

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba, the Chairman Abia Warriors Football club among other dignitaries were present at the visit. 

 

Ctz. UKOHA NJOKU UKOHA 

Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State