Diri rewards victorious teams, directs ministry to construct courts in schools

[FILES] Basketball<br />Photo: PIXABAY

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has rewarded winners of the 2022 Nestle Milo National Secondary Schools Basketball Championship from the state.

Last month, students of the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School (BDGS), Yenagoa, won in the boys’ category, while their counterparts from St Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Yenagoa, took the girls’ title at the championship held in Lagos.

It was the seventh title for St. Jude’s Girls in the competition, while BDGS victory was their first in the championship.

Both schools also produced the Most Valuable Players of the tournament.

At a reception held inside the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House in Yenagoa, on Wednesday, Diri commended the teams for the feat and for making the state proud.

He charged them not to relent in training, saying the victory should spur them to achieve greater laurels.

The governor announced a token reward of N100, 000 to each of the players and an additional N50, 000 each to the Most Valuable Players.

Also rewarded were the management of the schools with N500, 000 each, while the coach of both teams, Tony Nelson, got N300, 000 and a one-grade level promotion in the state’s sports council. The other coaches got N150, 000 each.

Governor Diri also directed the immediate construction of basketball courts in both schools to enable the players to train adequately.

According to him, sports is no longer only a social activity, but also a source of livelihood to those who engage in it.

He also advised youths in the state to emulate the players by engaging in productive ventures instead of crime.

The governor noted that the feat by both schools would encourage schools in rural areas to engage in sporting activities.