The Rivers State government is to open a Football College of Excellence by the turn of the year, with the assistance of former NFA chairman Anthony Kojo-Williams.

In addition, the state will champion a campaign to get ex militants re-directed towards professional sports training, especially football.

Fred Igwe, the state sports commissioner, said in Lagos that the College will be a model institution.

“We have already acquired the land at Etche, and Kojo Williams is consulting for us. It is a huge expanse of land and we expect to have the major parts of the project completed by the end of the year,” Igwe said.

“On completion, it will allow us to harness the abundant talent in the state and even outside.”

Where young players are getting a chance to learn football skills, reformed militants will also get their chance according to Igwe.

“The Amnesty Committee spends a lot of money training these ex militants in technical jobs. But we know for a fact that a lot of them are really talented sportsmen.

“We can encourage them to get professional training and try to pursue a career in professional sport. I have spoken to my colleagues in other Niger Delta states and we will approach the Amnesty Committee to try to get them to see the benefits of training these ex militants in sport and not just welding, carpentry and other technical jobs.