NAN-S-14
Football
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos May 17, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) says the ongoing Ships and Ports Maritime Football Cup competition is to bring workers together and keep them fit and healthy after daily work.
Charles Ogaga, a Senior Manager in NPA, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that the competition, in its 9th edition, began on March 15 at the NPA Sports Ground, Surulere, Lagos.
According to him, six teams are participating in the competition, which promised to avoid the use of non-maritime workers as players.
“The competition serves as an opportunity, strictly for workers in the maritime industry, to converge and play football after daily hectic work.
“It is a pleasant opportunity to play football together, and because we are sports-loving people, we have used the competition to serve as a meeting point for us.
“In the past, we had the problem of some teams using players which were not maritime workers; this brought in win-at-all-cost and the use of professional footballers.
“ Now, the situation is different as we have only maritime workers in the competition; all the players were screened before participation.
“The whole objective is to create fun and lots of laughter,’’ Ogaga said.
NAN reports that NPA defeated Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), 4-0 and also defeated Africa Circle, 3-0 to record their two victories so far in the competition.
Nigeria Customs, the 2016 champions, played 2-2 with their arch rival, the Nigeria Navy in an entertaining ground battle as Customs laid an embargo on Josephdarm Port Services with a 4-2 victory.
Josephdarm shattered African Circle, 3-0 in a freshman grudge as the Nigeria Navy defeated TICT, 2-1.
The competition continues at the NPA Sports Ground on Thursday as Africa Circle will test their powers against Navy, and Customs engage NPA in a territorial battle, while Josephdarm will engage TICT. (NAN)
BAO/ENN/IGO
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Ijeoma Popoola)