Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has congratulated the two state teams that emerged champions of the just-concluded Nestle Milo National Secondary Schools Basketball Championship in Lagos.
The St. Jude’s Girls Model School, Amarata-Yenagoa won in the female category for a record seventh time while in the male category, Bishop Dimieari Grammar School, Ovom-Yenagoa, became champions for the first time.
Governor Diri, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, described the lads as worthy sports ambassadors of the state.
The Bayelsa helmsman said their victory was very heartwarming and encouraging as it was in line with his administration’s renewed policy of promoting sporting excellence and building the capacity of youths of the state.
He said his administration was encouraged by the outstanding performance of youths of the state in national sporting competitions in the last two years, citing the similar feat achieved by the state-sponsored football teams.
He recalled that Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens both won the 2021 AITEO/FA Cup and that Bayelsa Queens also recently became the National Women Football League champions and would represent Nigeria in the CAF women champions league like its male counterpart did in the CAF Confederation Cup last year.
While assuring that the government will continue to reward those making the state proud, Governor Diri urged the youths to take advantage of the various empowerment schemes and the enabling environment created by his administration to develop and showcase their potential.
He said: “The victory of the St. Jude’s girls and the BDGS boys in the Milo basketball championship is very heartwarming, commendable and encouraging. I salute the courage and indomitable spirit of these lads.
“These worthy ambassadors of our dear state have again showed that they have imbibed the message of sporting excellence that our Prosperity Administration is encouraging and promoting. For making us proud, the government will continue to reward excellence.
“I therefore urge our youths to be motivated by these outstanding examples and tap into the different empowerment and capacity development schemes of the government. We are creating the right environment for our young ones to develop and showcase their potential and we are encouraged by the positive results we see.”