By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
The Cross River State Government has attributed the resurgence of state-owned women’s football club, Pelican Stars FC, to sustained investment in players’ welfare and improved funding, following the club’s promotion to the Nigeria Women’s Premier Football League.
Chairman of the club, Mrs. Sofia Francis Aribiah, said the team’s return to the elite league was driven by the support of Governor Bassey Otu and the welfare initiatives championed by the First Lady, Bishop Eyoanwan Bassey Otu.
Speaking in Calabar on Saturday over HIT FM radio, Aribiah said the administration’s commitment to the club had transformed the morale and performance of the players.
She recalled that Governor Otu, upon assuming office, increased the club’s monthly subvention from ₦5 million to ₦15 million, cleared outstanding financial obligations and ensured the regular payment of salaries and match allowances.
According to her, the First Lady has complemented the government’s efforts by taking a personal interest in the welfare of the players, maintaining regular contact with the club’s management and providing each player with a monthly bag of rice and other food items.
Aribiah, a former banker, described the promotion as a major milestone, noting that it came barely six months after she assumed office as chairman of the club.
“I am delighted that within six months, my team and I have witnessed the promotion of Pelican Stars back to the top-flight league. The governor’s support and the First Lady’s motherly care have inspired the players to give their best,” she said.
She pledged that the club’s management would consolidate on the achievement by strengthening the squad and ensuring Pelican Stars remain competitive in the Nigeria Women’s Premier Football League.
Pelican Stars, one of Nigeria’s most successful women’s football clubs, regained promotion after a season in the lower division, marking a significant step in the state’s efforts to revive women’s football.
