Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State

Enugu State House of Assembly Speaker, Edward Ubosi, on Sunday in Enugu gave one-year secondary school education scholarship awards to champions of the just-ended grassroots boxing talent hunt.

The champions were also given medals as the Enugu East Local Government team went home with a trophy as the overall winners, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, said the state would keep promoting sports in all ramification.

“This is a welcome development and another milestone as in line with the one recorded by Rangers after 32 years of trophy barrenness.

“As a government, we will continue to support the youths through sports,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Enugu State House of Assembly Speaker, Edward Ubosi, disclosed that the talent hunt started in December when he inaugurated a committee for it.

He said the talent hunt was to avert social vices among the youths.

“This just to keep the youths busy as they said that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop,’’ the Speaker said.

Ubosi said he was motivated to sponsor the boxing talent hunt as all attention had always been on football alone.

The chairman of the competition’s organising committee, Nelson Uduji, said 85 boxers participated in the state final.

“Five boxers were selected from each of the 17 local government councils in the state.

“Though, the boxing talent hunt programme has been in existence in the state but this time around we went into the hinterland,’’ he said.

One of the champions from Nsukka LGA, Prince Okwor, expressed joy at emerging champion in the lightweight category.

He thanked the state government, the State House of Assembly and the coordinators for giving him the opportunity to be part of the competition in the state.