Pauline Onyibe 
Ahead of the kick-off of this year’s Nigeria Premier Football League(NPFL) and Spanish La Liga Under 15 futures competition, Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo has promised the team a cash reward of N5 million from his pocket, if they emerge as champions.
According to his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Doubara Atasi, the cash promise was to motivate the Bayelsa United cadet team to target the trophy.
This he said is in addition to the N500,000 the team will get as a winning bonus for each match they will win during the competition, while each match won will be rewarded with N500,000 as a winning bonus.
Ewhrudjakpo made the promise, in Yenagoa at a dinner organized by the state government as part of efforts to motivate the team ahead of their departure to Ikenne, Ogun State, the venue of the tournament.
He added that every goal scored would attract a cash reward of N200,000, the goal scorer will get N100,000, the assist gets N50,000 and the second assist N50,000 bringing the total to N400,000 for each goal scored on the run of play excluding free kicks and penalty.
He said, “So, right now, the ball is in your court. It is up to you to go out there and play to win the trophy. So, you have to be courageous, and confident and put in a lot of effort.
“Train as if your life depends on it, do your best. When you go put in all your efforts, one hundred percent. I want you to go to the competition and conquer,”
The deputy governor, who also directed that kits comprising boots, tracksuits and other training materials be provided for the players immediately, said the governor would also announce a formal reward after their victory, including granting them scholarships, if they succeed.
Speaking on behalf of the team, a board member of Bayelsa United, Miebi Ogunu, thanked the deputy governor for hosting the boys, stressing that it was the first time they had received the treatment.
Ogunu said with the motivation and support of the governor and the deputy governor, the Bayelsa under 16 boys will give the state a good representation and emerge victorious at the competition.
