A total of four hundred and sixty-three athletes and officials of Team Akwa Ibom departed Uyo, the state capital, Tuesday, for Asaba, Delta state, venue of this year’s twenty-first National Sports Festival, tagged “Delta 2022”.

Addressing the contingent, who were in high spirits, at a brief departure ceremony which was held at Nest of Champions, Uyo, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Sir Monday Uko announced that the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has approved the payment of all allowances and entitlement of members of the contingent and admonished them to remain focused, disciplined and committed throughout their stay in Asaba.

Mr. Uko, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports and a veteran of the country’s sports industry, Elder Paul Bassey, noted that the only way to reciprocate the Governor’s kind gesture and accentuate the state’s leadership position in Nigeria’s sports industry was for members of Team Akwa Ibom to win as many gold medals as possible so as to come out tops at the end of the Festival.

Speaking earlier, the Director of Sports, Elder Ifiok Duff, expressed satisfaction with the support that the delegation has received from Government and charged the athletes to give their utmost in defence of the state’s reputation at the biennial championship.

Responding on behalf of the contingent, track and field sensation, master Edidiong Udo, thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for approving their participation in the competition in spite of the economic difficulties that the country is currently experiencing and promised to do their best to make the state proud.

Team Akwa Ibom will be competing in thirty sports when proceedings get underway in Asaba from November 28 to December 10, this year.