Abia State Government has taken bold steps to identify challenges affecting Enyimba Football Club of Aba and Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia.
The rescue efforts followed the poor performances of two clubs, which have seen Enyimba and Abia Warriors occupying 18th and 19th positions, respectively, on the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL table.
Enyimba currently has 11 points from 12 games, having won two, drawn 5 and lost 7 matches.
Abia Warriors sits on 11 points from 12 games, having won 3 games, drawn 5 and lost 5 games.
But in a decisive move to strengthen the clubs, the Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwaobilor Ananaba, held a strategic meeting with the board and technical crew of Enyimba to assess its current state.
The Commissioner, who was accompanied by the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Sports, Raymond Ukwa, also held a meeting with the Board of Abia Warriors to deliberate on practical measures to strengthen the operations of the two clubs.
During the meetings, Ananaba urged members of the boards and technical crews to openly identify the challenges affecting the clubs and suggest workable solutions.
He emphasised the importance of collective responsibility to return Enyimba and Abia Warriors to strong and winning forms
He acknowledged the consistent support of Governor Alex Chioma Otti for sports development in Abia State and charged the management board to take the issues raised seriously and ensure that appropriate solutions were developed and implemented.
The Head Coach, Mr Emmanuel Deutsch, and board members of Abia Warriors expressed appreciation to the governor for his consistent support, assuring that the two clubs would bounce back better.
Abia govt intervenes as Enyimba, Abia Warriors drop to relegation zone