Nigeria wins ICC Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative Award

Nigeria wins ICC Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative Award

By Our Reporter

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) , as winner of the Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the year, in an official statement issued on Monday June 6, 2022.

The NCF project in using the game as a tool for engaging and assisting in the development of internally displaced refugees as a result of the insurgency and terrorism perpetuated by the extremist group Boko Haram within the country had attracted the attention of the International body when the 2021 year was being reviewed. 

Uyi Akpata, President of the Federation said he is elated and his team is now more inspired as the effort they have put in has attracted global recognition.

“With a couple of thousand introduced to the game, and a boys and girls team involved in the State’s secondary schools’ tournament, we have seen cricket largely contributing to addressing the issues of integration and inclusion of disadvantaged children in the country. 

“On behalf of the almost 2,000 students in the Benin IDP Camp and two million children in various camps, we accept this special recognition.” 

The award-winning project is an outreach run by Promoting Ethics Through Sports (PETS) Foundation to the Internal Displaced Person’s camp in Benin which has beyond handing the campers cricket skills has also handed them life skills necessary to pick themselves up again.

“We are very proud of this award and the team of dedicated coaches and leaders that has taken up the challenge of reaching out to the camp.

“ We are also grateful to the team running the camp for trusting us with the people there and most especially the Edo State Cricket Association who performs the oversight function on behalf of the Federation.” 

Akpata said lives have being impacted with the weekly programme and the positive feedback gotten, has made the Federation to dedicate resources and personnel to the camp, since the project started.

He also mentioned that the camp is being primed to produce both male and female teams that will compete in forthcoming Edo State Cricket Leagues.