By Amaechi Agbo

Enugu – The 2024 Project Development Institute, PRODA, Enugu, tagged PRODA Festival Games began on Tuesday with female volleyball and male football signposting the activities.

Aimed at forestering unity and communality among the staff of the institute, the Festival will last till November.

In the opening female volleyball game, Human Resources Department defeated Engineering Research Development and Production Department 2-1 in a 3 set. The volleyball game was a spectacle with the ladies entertaining fans with their display. At two set, both teams were tied 1-1 but the last set saw Resources mount sustained pressure to win their opening match.

A total of four female teams are participating in the volleyball event.

In the male football event, CPD/MET and EPED settled for a goalless draw. The match was officiated by Nigeria FIFA graded referee, Patience Madu.

Four teams are also participating in the football event.

Other sporting events featured in the festival include table tennis, Scrabble, Draft, Chess, among others.

Speaking with the journalists after taking the official kick-off of both games, the Director-General, PRODA, Dr Peter Okwudilichukwu Ogbobe, said the festival is aimed at creating an atmosphere of conviviality and comradeship among the staff as well as prepare the athletes for the 2024 Research Institute Games Association of Nigeria , RIGAN which will be hosted in December in Oyo State.

“The essence of the sports festival is to bring unity and a sense of communality to the staff

The Festival involves various departments competing against themselves. Sports as we all know is one tool that unite everyone,

‘We will use this platform to select the best legs, hands and brains to represent the institute at the 2024 RIGAN in Oyo,” he said.

The DG noted that there is no age limits in the games, only staff of the institute are eligible to participate adding that the plans are on the way to build sporting facilities in the institute