Awka – No fewer than 175 secondary schools are expected to participate in the maiden Anambra State Academicals Football Competition scheduled to start on Nov. 25 in Awka.
Tony Nnacheta, the Anambra State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, releasaed the figure at the draws for the competition held in Awka on Monday.
Nnacheta said that 80 boys and 95 girls’ schools would take part in the tournament across the educational zones in the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him the essence of the competition is to promote football among secondary school students in the state.
“We look forward to healthy rivalry that will produce top rank teams for national competitions,” he said.
Nnacheta said that the screening of players would be conducted simultaneously in various educational zones, including Aguata, Awka, Nnewi, Onitsha, Otuocha and Ogidi.
The commissioner said that the matches would be played at the LG levels before moving on to the zonal stage.
He said winners of the competition would go home with cash prize of N1million each in the boys and the girls’ categories.
The commissioner said that N4 million would be awarded to the wining schools as grants for upgrade of libraries and science laboratories among other projects.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He advised the Games’ Masters and Principals of participating schools to ensure that only bonafide students were registered for the competition.
He also urged them to adhere strictly to rules of the game. (NAN)
