By Muhammad Ohunene Simbiyat
Kogi State Contingents to the National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State have cried to Governor Yahaya Bello to as a matter of urgency come to their rescue from the State Officials who took them to the game.
Those who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Officials of Kogi State Council lodged contingents in a dormitory of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, since their arrival in Asaba Friday last week.
According to them, they travelled without security details, almost got robbed along the way and were not fed on arrival on the 28th of November at Asaba.
They claimed they were briefed of inadequate funds by the Commissioner of Youths and Sports, Idris Musa who said a paltry sum of #30,000 would be paid to each participant for the period of the tournament which commenced on 28th November to 10th December.
The condition of the athletes were said to be in deplorable State as there is no water for them to bathe, no enough kits to participate in the opening ceremony for all the contingents, explained that only 20 pieces of track suites were made available for them.
They appealed to Gov. Yahaya Bello to look into the activities of the Kogi State Sports Council to save the State from further embarrassment as the contingents are determined to make the State proud despite the attitude of the Officials.
Officials of State Sports Council had to make use of their old track suits to be part of the match past at the opening ceremony according to our source
Efforts to speak with the State Chairman of Sport Writer Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Bishop Aturu and the State Director of Sports Mr. Onipe Obakachi proved abortive.