By Udeme Hosea

The sound of inter-house sports is back in Akwa Ibom public schools, as the state government revives the grassroots competition as a strategy to catch and groom future champions.

The Commissioner for Sports Development, Elder Paul Bassey, who disclosed this on Thursday at Akpan Isemin Hall, Government House, Uyo, during the Ministerial Media Briefing of the Ministry of Sports Development, said the revival is part of Governor Umo Eno’s drive to discover new talents from the grassroots.

Bassey said the administration has also renewed the maintenance standard of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium to preserve its world-class status and make it viable for national and international events.

He said the 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival, which brought together young people from across the 31 local government areas, was a clear demonstration of the governor’s desire to discover talents and channel youth energy into productive ventures.

According to him, the Ministry, which was created in 2023, after separation from the Ministry of Youth Development has leverage sports to drive human-capital development, tourism, employment and economic diversification in line with the ARISE Agenda.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah, said the media briefing was convened to give an account of programmes in the respective ministries and the overall impact of governance on the people of the state, adding that the present administration remains committed to transparency and accountability in its stewardship.