NPA emerges third at annual public service games

Abiola Seun

The Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA’s) sports contingent came third at the just concluded 40th edition of the Annual Federal Public Service Games (FEPSGA) tagged Kwara 2021.

The competition, which was among ministries, departments and agencies (MDA), had over 70 MDAs in attendance of which only 54 of them made it to the medal’s table.

It was learnt that the NPA team emerged winner at the 39th edition of the FEPSGA games held in Kano last year and took home the overall winners’ trophy for the competition.

However, speaking at the end of the competition, NPA’s Team Manager, Mr. Charles Okaga appreciated the team members for performing to their best abilities at the games.

He attributed the turn of event this year to the fact that the NPA team was hurriedly put together and enjoyed only eight days of preparation.

He further stated that during the preparation for the game, key members of the team sustained injuries and had to be dropped few days before the start of the competition.

Mr Okaga added that in the future, NPA’s management would be persuaded to recruit more of candidates with sporting talents.

Furthermore, the team manager also affirmed that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) which came first at this year’s edition forayed into areas of strength of the NPA’s team because the organization is paramilitary whose athletes exercise regularly .

Mr Okaga, however, assured that the Authority will devote more time to training in the coming year with the hope of returning to the peak of the table.

In his own contribution, the administrator of the NPA Sports Association, Mr Adamu Babayo asserted that management will look into fresh need to renew sport facilities and give all the necessary backing and encouragement to sports men and women with the hope to regain lost grounds in the future.