No fewer than 12 participants cutting across various segments of the maritime industry participated in the event, which is the first of its kind in the shipping sector.
The one-day competition, declared open by the General Manager, Administration, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Michael Kayode Ajayi, held at the indoor sports hall of the NPA Sports Ground in Surulere, Lagos, with various dignitaries including National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu and Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, in attendance.
Kehinde Borokini of the NPA Engineering Department won the competition, carting away the Prince Olayiwola Shittu Trophy and N30,000 cash prize.
Borokini defeated Bob Emmanuel, also of the NPA (Marine and Operations Department), in three straight sets of 11-3, 11-7 and 11-4.
Emmanuel, who was runner-up of the competition, smiled home with N10,000.
The third position was won jointly by a dockworker, Odeyemi Jeremiah of New Cargo Handling Company, and another staff of the NPA, Abolaji Iyabo of the Personnel Department.
Shittu pledged to continue to support the competition, which he described as a laudable initiative, while the Chief Executive Officer of Ships & Ports Communication Company, Mr. Bolaji Akinola, said that the competition was instituted to promote recreation and healthy sporting activities among maritime industry operators.
Akinola said that the table tennis championship will complement the Annual Maritime Cup Football Competition organised by the leading maritime media firm, and further promote the well-being of industry operators and create camaraderie in the industry.
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