Senate decries FG poor commitment to sports
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba on Thursday, lamented at the poor performance of Nigeria’s athletic contingent at the just concluded Rio Olympics in Brazil.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Ogba attributed the poor performance of athletes to non release of funds meant for the exercise, recalling that his Committee had invited the Minister of Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung who repeatedly told the Committee that funds have been released to that effect.
He also explained that the Committee at a point became curious and did find out from the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun who also confirmed to him that funds have been released.
Ogba added that he was disappointed that on getting to Brazil, he discovered that the money was released after Olympics have been concluded, wondering why the present administration’s lack of commitment to sports development.
“I recalled that my Committee invited the Minister of Sports three times to tell us the level of his Ministry’s preparation particularly on funding and he assured us that fund has been released.
“Out of curiosity we asked the Minister of Finance and she confirmed that funds have already been released to the Sports Ministry only to discover that it was not so. Is that the change Buhari administration promised? ” he asked.
On the largesse to the athletes by a Japanese Business Mogul which was generating controversy between the Sports Ministry and the footballers, Ogba explained that it was inappropriate to receive that money, stressing that as responsible Nigerians, they ought to have verified authenticity of the money and personality involved before accepting anything.
“I am speaking in my personal capacity that it was wrong for our players to have collected the money because we don’t know the person and the source of his money. So we would have found out from their authority before anything,” he concluded.
