Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has announced an incentive package for state athletes who have lately competed in various tournaments.
Olympic silver medalist Blessing Oborududu, who won gold in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and sprinter Timma Godbless, who won gold in the 4100 relay for Nigeria at the African Senior Athletics Championship in Mauritius, were among those who received the governor’s gift.
Among others were teenage table tennis sensation, Samuel Boboye, who won two gold medals for Nigeria in the Africa U-19 championship in Tunisia as well as Bayelsa Queens, champions of the Nigerian Women’s Football League as well as the WAFU Zone B tournament in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
Coaches of the teams were also rewarded.
Governor Diri, while receiving the athletes and footballers inside the executive council chambers of the Government House in Yenagoa on Tuesday, said they made Nigeria and the state proud.
His Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, quoted him in a statement as saying that the people of Bayelsa can hold their heads high because of the sterling performances of the sportsmen and women and urged them to continue on the path of success.
He noted that by their performance, they have placed Bayelsa prominently on the global map of sports, saying the state will reap rich rewards from their effort if they aim for more success.
Diri assured that his administration will continue to play its part in supporting sportsmen and women to enable them bring more glory to the state.
The state’s helmsman assured Bayelsa Queens that his government will do everything to ensure the team had a hitch-free participation in the Africa Female Champions League holding Morocco.
He announced a reward of N2.5m for Commonwealth Games gold medalists, N1.5m for silver medalists while bronze medalists got N1m.
Similarly, coaches of gold-winning athletes got N2m each while their silver and bronze medal counterparts received N1m and N800,000 respectively.
Non-medal participants at the games also got N300,000 each.
African Athletics Championship gold medalist, Godbless, got N700,000 while Boboye received N500,000.
The governor also motivated Bayelsa Queens with N10m in addition to $1,000 each for the players and $3,000 for the three goals the team scored in a particular game.
