Newly Elected Akwa Ibom State Football Association Chairman, Samuel Umoh says his administration will lend the needed support to Akwa United, Ibom Angels, Dakkada, FC One Rockets and all teams in Akwa Ibom State. The FA boss made this known in Aba After FC One Rockets beat Father Eburuaja FC 5-0 in the President Federation Cup Round of 64.
“It is a duty. I see it like that of the FA to lend support to all its teams. Because we are administrators, it is pertinent that we come to games like this. We see, we learn and we improve and football will be the better for it.
Coming to this game is to encourage, first and foremost, the team that is affiliated to the Akwa Ibom State Football Association and two, to lend support to the Abia State FA which we are partners to be sure that things go well.”
Umoh reflected on football in Akwa Ibom State, acknowledging its growth in recent years and highlighted what his administration would do differently to improve football in the state.
“Football in Akwa Ibom is growing very fast, especially in the past couple of years. We need to change the dynamics to go in tandem with what is obtainable in other climes. The Hallmark of my administration would be grassroots development because that is the hallmark of a very serious football association anywhere in the world. If you don’t produce, you can’t sell and if you don’t produce, you can’t grow, you can’t develop. We are looking at giving the grassroots the needed the attention and even those in charge of the grassroots like the coaches, the referees and whoever in charge.”
He also spoke about commercializing football in Akwa Ibom State and being self-sufficient in the near future.
“We are coming with a template that in due time and in due course, Akwa Ibom State FA should be self-sufficient and be able also to do things others than to wait for whatever might come from a particular source. If we have multiple streams of income because of what we are doing good, that will be a very good one for the development of Akwa Ibom State football.”
He pledged support for women’s football, especially Ibom Angels who are in the lower league. He said the ladies deserve a level playing field and encouragement and that Akwa Ibom State Football under his watch would contribute towards that. He reiterated the support of Akwa Ibom State FA to support all its teams in various levels of football.