…as FCT, 28 other states yet to approve fund
Athletes from Kwara State on Tuesday again converged and blocked both the exit and entrance of the state stadium complex, Ilorin in aggrieved towards the Seven Million Naira approved for the 19th edition of National Sports Festival 2018 scheduled to hold in Abuja next month.
It would be recalled that the state athletes also protested last month to Kwara State House of Assembly over the same issue, where the members of the house promised to look into their issue and give them positive response.
However, the athletes noted that they have not seen any response from either the state House of Assembly or the State Government.
Speaking with Pilot Sports during the protest on Tuesday morning, the Wheel Chair Captain, Oyaderin Olatunbosun Felix argued that they have decided to boycott the game if the state fails to increase the money.
They also insisted that their allowances during the game should be increased to eight thousand Naira and the equipments should be made available for them.
Reacting to the athletes’ grievances, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Akanbi appealed to the athletes to exercise patience, saying that all their complaints would be settled as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, this medium reliably gathered that states attendance may be very poor: Apart from clear signs that the National Stadium in Abuja which is to host the National Sports festival is in a calamitous state of readiness, reports from many states except for about five, is not cheery.
Most of the states are not in camp. According to the check last night (Tuesday), 29 states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory are yet to approve funds for athletes participating at the Festival.
Many of the governors had engaged the gear for political campaigns towards the 2019 General Elections. Osun for instance, which has a bad record for sports development is swearing-in a new governor. Cross Rivers State disengaged and reduced the salaries of their athletes that were to compete for them in the Festival which is scheduled to hold from 6 to 16 December, 2018 at the National Stadium, Abuja.
Reports collated from some states show that most of the states’ sports commissions or sports councils (as we variantly have them) have slashed down the number of athletes that were expected to be participating in the respective sports. Some states will just barely make appearance in Abuja. A state when doing the DRM to register athletes sent in the names of 218 but have slashed it down to 30 already.
Most and biggest casualties in the pruning down are team sports like handball, volleyball, basketball, cricket, hockey, baseball, softball.
It was gathered that athletes and officials of the Bayelsa State Sports Council last Monday had to take to the streets in protest over the non release of funds meant for allowances during the games. The same protest story came from Ilorin where the state government despite a magnificent stadium has no interest of sports at heart.
Even in the National Youth Games which was hosted in Ilorin, until the athletes protested and make trouble before the government released about 30% of what has been budgeted for such an event.
Also in Yenogoa, Ilorin: In Yenogao, athletes stormed the Government House gate with placards, demanding for camp remunerations in preparation for the biggest Nigeria sporting event. It was disclosed that the officials demanded for N5,000 and N3,000 as camping allowance for both coaches and athletes. The Sports Council had applied for a total of N250m to execute the festival, but, the government approved N20m.
During the protest which lasted for more than 30 minutes, no government official was available to address the protesting sportsmen and women.
