By Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
The Chairman of the Cross River State Sports Commission (CRSSC), Mr. Lawrence Etta Itanya, has inaugurated 27 sporting associations in the state, reaffirming his commitment to repositioning sports development in Cross River State.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held at the Table Tennis Indoor Sports Hall of the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, Itanya pledged to revive the state’s sporting fortunes.
“I am ready to revamp and reposition the dwindling growth of sports in Cross River State,” he stated.
The CRSSC chairman called on the newly inaugurated association chairmen and their board members to work collectively towards restoring the lost glory of sports in the state.
He urged the associations to explore alternative sources of funding instead of relying solely on government support, assuring them that the sports commission would provide maximum cooperation and assistance to ensure their success.
Responding on behalf of the inaugurated officials, the Chairman of the Cross River State Table Tennis Association, Rt. Hon. Orok Otu Duke, expressed appreciation to the commission for the confidence reposed in them.
He promised that the associations would deploy their experience towards discovering and nurturing talented youths capable of bringing honour and laurels to the state.
Duke further assured that efforts would be intensified to produce athletes who could compete at national and international levels, including the Olympics.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the State Boxing Association, Mr. Jumbo Michael, and the Chairman of the State Athletics Association, Mr. Pius Neji, pledged their commitment to winning medals for Cross River State in future national sporting competitions.
The ceremony featured the swearing-in of the 27 newly inaugurated chairmen of the various sporting associations.
