By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
Governor Chukwuma Soludo will witness the finals of the ongoing Anambra Traders’ Sports Competition scheduled to hold at the Awka Township Stadium on November 26, 2023.
Chief Evarist Uba, Special Adviser on Trade and Markets to Soludo said this during the draws for the State finals stage of the competition in Awka.
The competition featuring Football, Tennis, Table Tennis, Draught and Ncho commenced on October 18 with about 90 markets taking part in the zonal eliminations in eight centres.
Uba said the traders competition was fully supported by the governor as part of his agenda to foster interactivity, social harmony and better well being in the state.
He commended the Anambra Sports Development Commission and Anambra State Amalgamated Market Traders Association, ASMATA for the level of organizational finesse they had exhibited so far.
He urged the participating teams to play by the rules.
“I encourage you to work hard for your victory in the competition. Mr. Governor is aware of it, indeed he will be at the stadium on the closing ceremony with members of his cabinet to see the finals.
“This competition is another opportunity for our people in the markets to benefit from the robust sports development agenda of Mr Governor”, he said.
For his part, Chief Humphrey Anuna, President General of ASMATA commended the teams that made it from the zones but urged the market leaders to show more commitment by creating awareness and mobilizing their members.
Anuna, who described the rewards for winners as huge, frowned at cases of walkover recorded at the preliminaries and charged them to give each other a run for their money.
Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman of Sports Commission thanked Soludo for supporting the competition adding that it had progressed very well.
Onyedum who was represented by Faith Okwonna, a Director in the Commission said raffle draws would be held on the final day when people stand to win shuttle bus, generator, television, fans and others.
She urged the state finalists to take their fixtures seriously and reminded them that the total prize money for the competition was N10 million.
In the football draws, Odera Market Awka will play with Iron Dealers Market, Atani in the first Group A game on November 4 while Nkwo Umunze Market will square up against Odera Market on November 8 in the second game.
The third Group A match will be between Iron Dealers Market Atani and Nkwo Umunze market at the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium November 11.
In the Group B centre scheduled for Godwin Achebe Stadium, Fegge, Ajasa Market Onitsha will play Old Motor Parts play with Obosi on November 4 while New Motor Parts Nnewi and Ajase Market Onitsha will face each other on November 8.
Old Motor Parts Obosi vs New Motor Parts Nnewi will play on November 11 to decide semi finalists from the group.
The semi final games will be held on Nov. 19.
In the Draught event scheduled for November 23, Uchenna Ezenwafor of Etewa Market Ekwulobia will play with Ifeanyi Osunwa of Arthur Eze Building Market and the game play with Daraebo Titus of Electric Market, Obosi.
Raphael Okoye of Plastic Market Ogbunike will decide the second finalist with Ezeugwu Chukwujekwu of Bida Market, Onitsha in the game scheduled for Amawbia Sports Club.
In Table Tennis, Okafor Ikenna of Eke Amawbia will play Okoli Nnaemeka of Nkwo Umunze while Ndudi Ifinwa AMSPDA, Nnewi and Olie Onochie of New Tyre Nkpor will fight for a place in the final.
In the Tennis event, Obidike Emeka of Odera Market Awka will step to the courts against Ezeobi Oliver of Etewa market, Ekwulobia.
In the second game, Fidelis Anierobi AMSPDA Nnewi will play with Kenechukwu Sixtus Building Materials, Ogbunike on Nov.23.
Ncho or Ayo event will be between Okoye Emeka of Eke Amawbia and Ibegwa Micheal of New Motor Spare Obosi while Arinze Nwafor of Odekpe Market will play with Nzekwa Esther of Nkwo Umunze on Nov. 25.
Photo: Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Anambra State Governor.
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