Team Federal Ministry of Education has emerged champion of the 2023 Federal Education Sector Games (FEDUGAM) hosted by the Nasarawa State University, Keffi on Thursday.
The team emerged champion to push Team National Examinations Council (NECO) to second place after winning 14 gold, 15 silver and four bronze to top the medals tables.
NECO finished the games with seven gold, eight silver and 10 bronze medals, while National Universities Commission (NUC) garnered four gold, three silver and three bronze to cement their third place finish.
Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Opiah, while declaring the games closed urged losers to prepare stronger for next year’s edition.
Opiah who was represented by Dr Uche Ubah, Director, Colleges of Education Department, Federal Ministry of Education, said efforts were on to ensure more agencies and parastatals participate in the fourth edition.
“Like I mentioned during the opening, the joy of the games is far beyond the attempt to win at all cost.
“Once again, the winner should be humble in victory while others who could not win, have another opportunity in the next edition.
“Measures are being put in place by the Permanent Secretary and the management of the ministry to ensure the participation of more agencies through their chief executives.
“In this note, I congratulate all the winners in this third edition while encouraging other participants to put more effort in the next edition and I hereby declare the games closed,” he said.
Consultant of the Games, Matthew Okeyinka, said they had already started planning on the fourth edition to surpass the achievements of the third edition.
“We are seeking to have more partners to boost our performance for next year’s event and we can only do that through sponsorship.
“It is our belief that every edition will be better than the previous,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that defending champions, Tertiary Education Fund (TETFund) defeated National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) 3-0 to retain the football event trophy of the games.
TETFund had won the trophy three times since the commencement of the games.
NAN reports that only eight out of 24 agencies and parastatals including the supervising ministry participated in the three-day event which started on May 15 and ended on May 17 at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
No fewer than 500 sports men and women participated in football, scrabble, badminton, table tennis, volleyball and handball.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria