By Balimwor Ekpe
The Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency Sen. Prince Bassey Otu, earlier today flagged off the international skating championship “Skateathon 2024” at the millennium park calabar.
The Governor remarked that the competition has marked another history of sporting in Cross River State and further applauded the organizers of the competition for their successful outing, said skating has come to find it root in the State as an annual sporting event. He maintained that sports would no longer be just leisure activity but a business in Cross River State.
The convener of the competition, Mr. Daniel Damilola expressed gratitude to Governor Bassey Otu for accepting to host the competition in Cross River State, extolled him for being the only Governor in Nigeria who consummately supports sports in his state.
The commissioner of Sports Development, Mrs. Agnes Atsu announced that, the Skating championship is now in the sports calendar of the state and would hold on every 2nd day of August in every year, expressed gratitude to the Governor for being sports friendly and dedicating himself to sports development in Cross River State.
While decorating Governor Bassey Otu with an award as patron of Nigerian Inland skating federation, the president Alhaji Abdulahi Maikano extolled Governor Otu for the cleanliness calabar is wearing which is worth emulating by every other State including his own State.
Governor Bassey Otu issued out the sum of One thousand ($1,000) dollars to the overall winner of the Competition, Mr. Okene Itunu Joseph, from Lagos State.
The event was graced by the Governor of CRS, His Excellency Sen. Prince Bassey Otu, the C’River State commissioner of sports dev- Hon. Agnes Atsu, The SA to the Governor on sports development-Hon Ekanem Ekpenyong, the SA to the Governor on General Duties- Ekpenyong Akiba Esq, the SA to the Governor on Event Management- Mr. Effiong Ekpenyong, the Deputy CPS to the Governor- Mr. Edem Darlington, representative of the Honourable minister of Sports, Organizers of the Competition and the Skaters who are in calabar from different countries and States for the competition.
