FEPSGA: Upset, Fun, Wotowoto Defeats At Various Centres
3 min read
Public Servants who have been in Port Harcourt for the 43rd edition of the public service games have been celebrating, crying and having fun as the games go on at various centres across the Rivers State capital.
On Sunday at the formal opening of the games, the governor, Sim Fubara, had urged the participants to take advantage of the hospitality and ambience that the state offers to engage their opponents in the various games, even as they unwind after the day’s games.
On Monday, the athletic events started at the UNIPORT centre. In the men’s 400m race, Team Rivers, through Belly Tonye emerged first, whil Newman Unazi of the Federal Ministry of Youths Development took the second position and Chukwu Mathew of the ministry of science and technology third.
The 100 metres men’s race saw Emeka John Mark of the FMITI defeating his counterparts, Jephtah Onwuzulikeof the youths development ministry and Mohammed Muktar of the NPA respectively, and in the women’s 100 metres race, Oparaji Anabel(first) from ministry of education, Glory Onyeoguzoro(second) of the ministry of budget and national planning and Shegnagi Gaji(third) of the iCPC made their ministries and agencies proud.
Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof Owunari Abraham Georgewill who spoke with journalists in the course of the event said it was gratifying that his school was selected to host some of the events. He said UNIPORT was known for excellence in sports.
He said the UNIPORT stadium was built by a former governor, Dr Peter Odili and that its tartan tracts were among the best in the country, but asked well-meaning Nigerians to visit and do more for the university’s facilities.
He said many of the athletes willingly accepted to be in Port Harcourt for the games because they knew that the state was peaceful and hospital.
Team FIRS which emerged first during the march past on Sunday during the opening continued on the winning path on Monday, in the women’s basketball event, defeating former champions, NPA. Both teams won two matches in the group stage, with the FIRS team claiming the top prize on greater points difference.
Coach of the FIRS winning team that grabbed the gold medal, Nuhu Samuel, told journalists that the victory was a reward for painstaking preparations and also thanked God for crowning their efforts with success.
He applauded the organisers for the indoor basketball pitch, describing it as superb. “It is superb. It is of international standard. We are enjoying ourselves here and it is good. So far, PH has been good and nice. There has been no problem since we came.”
Team Rivers excelled in the women 4×100 relay, emerging tops, as they defeated NPA and the ministry of education. They also showed class in the men’s relay, out-running the ministry of youths development and the NPA, in that order.
Team Rivers equally won medals in swimming as Obia Inyegiyikabo rolled back the years to win women’s 50m backstroke, adding to her victory in 100m freestyle.
On Sunday, the Raw Materials Development agency had caused a big upset in the men’s basketball event by surprisingly beating defending champions, the NPA 20-17.
The NPA side, who had won their previous two games with wide margins, trailed by 9 points for large spells of the encounter, before a late rally saw them reduce the deficit to 3 points in the end.
However, the gold medal winners from last edition of the Games in Minna lodged a protest to the disciplinary committee, claiming Raw Materials fielded two ineligible players.
And on Monday, the Ministry of Defence made it three wins in a row, with a hard-fought 24-19 win against Team National Assembly.
Commissioner for information, Mr Joe Johnson, who is also the chairman of the publicity sub committee of the games as well as the Head of Service, George Nweke are excited at the level of success so far recorded since the games started.
