The Abia State Government has finalized arrangements to host one thousand undergraduates from both public and private tertiary institutions in the inaugural Tertiary Education Sports Fiesta, featuring 26 sporting events.
At a joint press briefing in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Professor Uche Eme Uche, said the event was a collaboration between the Ministry of Tertiary Education and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development.
Professor Eme Uche described the initiative as a landmark effort by the current administration to revive extracurricular activities in higher institutions and nurture new athletic talent.
She noted that students in the state had long depended on the irregularly scheduled NUGA Games often hosted far from Abia, leaving them with limited opportunities for sporting participation.
She expressed gratitude to Governor Alex Otti for approving the Sports Fiesta and releasing ₦500,000 to each participating institution to support their preparations.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba, announced that the fiesta would take place across three major venues in Umuahia: the Umuahia Township Stadium for track and field events, Ibeku High School for football, and the Ridge Club for lawn tennis.
He described the programme as a continuation of the state’s youth-development agenda, noting that it aligned with the recently launched Secondary School Unity Games aimed at promoting sports and identifying young talents.
The four-day event would begin on the 25th of November and would also feature the unveiling of the “New Abia Pioneers Club,” a value-driven platform designed to promote excellence, discipline, and positive alternatives to cultism and drug abuse.
