Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River has increased the subvention of the State-owned soccer team, Rovers Football Club of Calabar, to N10million to boost their performance.
This was made known in a statement on Saturday by Nsa Gill, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
It stated that the governor had lauded the management and players of Rovers Football Club for holding the forte for the team with a rich history in the anals of Nigerian football, amid underfunding.
It also stated that the governor had noted that the increase from N5million to N10million as subvention for the Club underscored his determination to reposition football and sports in general in the state.
“Let me thank and congratulate you for what you have been doing over the years. Rovers is a club with very rich history. This government is poised to promote sports as a business,” Otu stated in the statement.
The governor, who also hosted the team in the governor’s office premises, directed that immediate medical attention be given to injured footballers.
He also promised to provide the team with a brand new bus in 2025, as well as look into other teething challenges bothering the football club.
Otu commended the team’s 18-year-old goalkeeper, Clinton Andy, who was on international duties with Nigeria’s under- 20 national team, for flying Cross River colours and making the state proud.
He prayed for more open doors for the players as they pursue their football dreams.
He charged staff and players of Rovers Football Club to double their efforts in the hope of returning the Club to its pride of place as a major force in Nigerian football.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Sports Development, Mrs Agnes Atsu, said the players’ visit to the governor became necessary to present some challenges bedeviling the Club, which is five games away from concluding the Nigerian National Football League.
Also speaking, the club’s captain, Inyang Asuquo, highlighted some of the team’s challenges to include inadequate funding, rickety team bus, poor medical attention and funding for players, among others.
Asuquo also thanked the governor for his swift response through the increment of subvention for the team and other positive assurances given to the club.
He promised that his team would do the needful to repay the Otu administration’s confidence in the club.
The highpoint of the meeting was Andy’s presentation of his jersey to the governor and a photo session with Otu by the elated players.
