By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

All is set for the kick-off of the Anambra State Traders Sports Competition today, Wednesday, October 18, 2023 with 85 markets in the state ready to battle for honours.

The five field of sports for the competition include, Football, Tennis, Table Tennis, Draught and Ncho.

Traders will be competing for the coveted prize of N10 million, with lots of other attractive prizes which are up for grabs

According to the Chairman, Anambra State Sports Development Commission,

Patrick-Estate Onyedum, the aim of the sports competition is to give traders in Anambra markets the opportunity to showcase their sports skills on the field of play as well as improve their physical, and psychological wellbeing.

A statement signed by the duo of Chief Humphrey Anuna, President General, Amalgamated Market Traders Association, and Patrick Estate Onyedum reads in part: At last count, about 85 markets have indicated interest to take part in the competition and the draws for fixtures have been done.

Winners of the football event will go home with Three million naira (N3,000,000:00), Two Million naira (N2,000,000) and One million naira (N1,000,000:00) as first, second and third prizes.

Winners in Table Tennis, Tennis, Draught and Ncho events will get a reward of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000:00), Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300,000:00 and Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000:00) respectively.

Our brothers and sisters in the market will not be playing for leisure this time, they have the opportunity to play to entertain themselves and also smile home with good prize money.

We are going to have football champions and high kings of Draught.

There will also be raffle draws where traders, lovers of sports and the entire Ndi Anambra will win different prizes including Plasma Television, Fridges, Generators, watching Machines, Bicycles, Motorcycles, Tricycles and shuttles bus.

The tickets will be on sale in the various markets and public places during the competition.

The duo called on Ndi Anambra to come out enmasse at the venues which include Awka Township Stadium, Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium, Onitsha, Godwin Achebe Stadium, Fegge, Rojenny Stadium, Oba, Ekwulobia Township Stadium, Ekwulobia, Otuocha Stadium, Aguleri to celebrate the rich talent of our market people.

According to the organisers, the competition will start with zonal eliminations where the various market zones will determine their respective champions who will in turn represent them at the state finals.

The state finalists will thereafter compete for places in the semi-finals where the gold, silver and bronze winners will emerge.

The competition is expected to end on Sunday Nov. 26 with final draws for the raffle tickets in an elaborate closing ceremony.

The sports and traders-loving Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, is expected to lead the draws and perform the symbolic handover of prizes to winners at the event as the chief Guest of Honour.

Ndi Anambra, let us once again demonstrate our love for sports and our heritage which is business by supporting this initiative, the statement added.