Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, and
Premium Trust Bank, on Wednesday, announced cash rewards for Bayelsa Queens,
champions of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL).
The pronouncements were made when the team and the
premiership trophy were presented to Governor Diri during the 167th State
Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.
The elated governor praised the players for another
remarkable season in which Bayelsa Queens did not lose any game and for
emerging league champions for the second time in three years.
He appreciated the 26 players and the chief coach,
Ogbonda White, with a cash reward of N4m each while eight other coaches in the
team got N2 million each.
The governor also pronounced N3 million reward for the
chairman while the six board members got one million naira each and N1.5
million to each of the team’s backroom staff and N3 million for the supporters
club.
He urged the team not to rest on its laurels as
Nigeria’s representatives to the WAFU B regional qualifiers in Cote d’Ivoire
ahead of the CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco.
His words: “On behalf of our Government of Prosperity
and the good people of Bayelsa State, we say congratulations for lifting the
league trophy for the sixth time.
“In 2022, you went for the WAFU B Champions League
qualifier and won it for Nigeria. Now you are going again for the second time
in three years to represent not only Bayelsa but also Nigeria. You must display
the indomitable Bayelsa spirit and return home with the trophy like our Super
Falcons.
“Knowing that we have a sports-loving president with
what he doled out to the Super Falcons, I believe the Federal Government will
support the Bayelsa State government to ensure you do well as the country’s
representatives. You are no longer just Bayelsa Queens but you are now Nigerian
Queens.”
Governor Diri commended the state’s partners in
sports, Premium Trust Bank, for its support to Bayelsa Queens and for
identifying with the football development in the state.
He again implored oil firms and corporate
organisations doing business in the state to show better corporate social
responsibility in developing the youths through sports like Premium Bank.
The bank’s Chief Business Officer, Mr. Offiong
Aniebet, who represented the Managing Director, said the organisation was glad
identifying with the state’s achievements, particularly in sports.
He also announced the reward of N2 million each to the
players and the technical crew.
Also, the Commissioner for Sports, Dr. Daniel Igali,
described Bayelsa Queens as not just defending champions but “defining
champions,” stating that in 2022 when they represented the country in the CAF
Women’s Champions League, they came home with the bronze medal and till date is
the only Nigerian team to achieve such a feat.
Igali thanked Governor Diri for providing the enabling support for the team to record consistent achievements domestically and on the continent.
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