He said the essence was to encourage talented youths in the state to begin to maximise their sports potential from an early age.
Ananaba spoke in Umuahia the state capital on Tuesday shortly after the inauguration of members of the newly reconstituted boards of Enyimba, Abia Warriors, and Abia Comets football clubs.
He disclosed that plans are ongoing to upgrade the Umuahia Township Stadium to world-class status, adding that the Ministry of Sports will soon commence a sensitisation tour to schools on the need for students to partake in sporting activities.
He charged the chairmen and board members of the state-owned clubs to see their position as a call to serve and service delivery to the state.
He said, “The core of forming and inaugurating Board members for our football clubs today is to ensure that the state will regain her place in producing professional footballers and sportsmen as in the past.
“The tempo must be kept alive. We must not diminish. The our collective ingenuity and mastery are needed for us to keep flying the flag of competence and productivity”.
Those inaugurated include a former Nigeria International player Mr Kanu Nwankwo, who is the chairman of the Enyimba International Football Club of Aba, his vice Mr Eric I. Esomugha and secretary Frank Adiele Alaribe.
Others were the chairman of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia Mr John Ogbu, his vice Hon Dennis Chinonye Anokwuru and secretary Mr Francis Obinna.
The rest are the chairman of Abia Comets Football Club of Umuahia Mr Boniface Uche and his secretary Henry Steven.
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