commissioner faults Dickson’s soccer tournament

Bayelsa State’s former Commissioner of Sports and Youths Development, Prince Opukiri Jones Ere, has faulted the proposed Governor Henry Seriake Dickson football competition, noting that dilapidation of the functional sporting facilities, including the abandoned Samson Siasia Sport Stadium, would be hamper the tournament.

According to Prince Ere, the re-laying of the astroturf and the tartan track in the Samson Siasia Stadium has been abandoned for the past three years, forcing the state’s football teams to play their home league matches in neighboring states.

The Bayelsa state government, a fortnight ago, announced “the Governor Henry Seriake Dickson Cup 2015, which is expected to feature over 100 teams from the 105 electoral wards, as well state and Federal tertiary institutions.

Prince Ere pointed out that the composition of the participants, as contained in a statement by the organizers of the competition, is clearly outside the age grade bracket, which, according to them, is targeted at grassroots talent hunt.

“It is an under age tournament; if so, why involve the tertiary schools namely Niger Delta University, the Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa, state Collage of Education, Collage of Health Technology and the Government House football team.”