Cross Rivers Sport Ministry Takes Aggressive Talent Hunt To Rural Communities

The Cross River State Ministry of Sports Development has commenced a search for young talents in the rural areas of the state in order to groom them and expose them to different fields of sporting activities to represent the state at national and global levels.

The State’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Mrs. Agnes Atsu, disclosed this in Calabar, while receiving the state’s contingent from MTN Athletic Championship, which took place at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in her office at the weekend.

The Commissioner stated that the state’s comprehensive agenda would help in resuscitating the sports sector with much emphasis on discovery, nurturing and exposure of young talents by providing them the needed pedestal to exhibit their God-given talent for national and global competitions.

Atsu averred that plans were underway for revival of grassroots sports in pursuance of the “catch them young” objective, which is a vital component of the Restoration Agenda in the sporting sector.

She lauded the team for its outstanding performance at the championship, stressing that the Governor Bassey Otu administration was doing everything humanly possible to give a priority attention to sporting activities in the state.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Development, Mr Sam Egbala, expressed optimism in the capacity of the Commissioner to drive the Restoration Agenda in the sports sector.

“The season of sweetness is set to envelop the sporting arena in Cross River because already, the Governor has alluded to the empirical truth that sport remains a potent tool in addressing youth unemployment and restiveness,” he stated.

Also, the State Director of Sports, Coach Moses Eta, stated that MTN Athletics Championship was a viable platform for exposing the participants to the global stage as part of the initiatives designed to groom upcoming talents for the future.