Nigerian Table Tennis Representative Donates Tennis Boards To C/River

By Christian Njoku

Mr Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade, the South-South Representative on the Board of the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), has donated two international standard table tennis boards to the Cross River Table Tennis Federation.

Ebikpolade, who spoke while presenting the items on Tuesday in Calabar, said the gesture was to rekindle interest in the game.

”We need to groom cadet players in this game, for us to achieve this, we must provide the needed facilities,” he said.

He also promised to refurbish the floor of the play area in the state to make the game more pleasurable and competitive.

”What we have in the state is not of international standard. We shall refloor the play area and make it more conducive for players,” he said.

Ebikpolade, also the Chairman, Bayelsa Table Tennis Federation, expressed worries that serious attention was not being given to table tennis.

”Not much attention is given to table tennis in Nigeria, so this donation is a conscious intervention to rekindle the interest of younger players.

”Similar donations have been made in the other South-South states. We can’t talk about developing the game without facilities,” he said.

The ITTF official stated that the federation was committed towards providing facilities and scholarship awards to talented cadet players in the country.

Receiving the boards, Mrs Agnes Atsu, Cross River Commissioner for Sports, described the donation as a good omen to table tennis development in the state.

”We are happy to receive these table tennis boards from you. We are calling on other stakeholders to support sports development in the state,” she said.

Also speaking, Mr Usen Umoh, the Vice Chairman, Cross River Table Tennis Federation, commended Ebikpolade for the gesture.

He said that the equipment would help the state to produce more talents in the game of table tennis in future.

”One thing that is capable of keeping our youths meaningfully busy is sports, so an investment in sports is a step in the right direction.

”I urge the organised private sector and other stakeholders to support sports development in the country, this is because government alone cannot do it,” Umoh disclosed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria made a remarkable impact in table tennis at the just concluded All Africa Games as Offiong Eden won a gold medal at the event. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Azubuike Okeh