Maritime Cup Football Tourney: We are in competition to win — Nigerian Navy
NAN-S-6
Football
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos, May 19, 2017 (NAN) Sub-Lt. Mustapha Abdulahi, the Coordinator of the Nigerian Navy team in the ongoing Ships and Ports Maritime Football Competition, says his players are in the event to win the championship.
Abdullahi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos that the competition which began in 2008 had continued to give maritime workers an avenue to express their skills and socialise.
“We were champions in the 2008 edition and ever since, we have yet to replicate those efforts, this is what we want to cancel out in this year’s edition.
“We have the capacity to achieve this and we will continue to work very hard toward this purpose until we achieve our objective.
“We understand that there are other strong contenders in the championship, especially the tough challenge that the Nigeria Customs bring, but we will cross that hill if they pose a threat to us,’’ Abdulahi said.
According to the officer, the competition has helped the maritime workers to fraternise and create a very amiable atmosphere where new friends can be made.
“Outside the daily pressures of work, the football event has created that forum where we can meet and enjoy the privilege of relating on social grounds,’’ Abdulahi added.
In the same vein, Friday Enamegbai, the Commercial Manager, Josepdam Port Services Nigeria (JPS) Ltd., said that the football competition had promoted the social interaction among the workers.
Enamegbai told NAN that the competition was a smooth event and that players had shown the character expected.
“We are having fun, we are not regular footballers, but we have used the opportunity to fraternise with others outside the pressures and daily hustle of work.
“The competition is about friendship, networking, interaction and basically adding value to our social life.
“Although, we are not in the competition to win at all cost but we will surely give a good account of ourselves,’’ Enamegbai said.
NAN reports that the Nigerian Navy team scored two un-replied goals against Josephdam when both teams clashed to record their second win in three games.
Navy had also played a 2-2 draw with Customs and would meet the NPA in a crunchy tie against the landlords of the maritime, NPA on Saturday.
The African Circle will get their hands full when they meet four-time champions of the competition; Customs, as Tin Can Island Containers (TICT) fancy their chances against Joesphdam in the ongoing preliminaries.
The competition is proudly supported by the NPA, Morbod Group, TICT and the African Circle. (NAN)
BAO/ENN/PDE
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Peter Ejiofor)