NANS Urge President Buhari to Probe N2.9 billion Olympic Fund

NANS Urge President Buhari to Probe N2.9 billion Olympic Fund

Following incessant cries from Nigerian athletes over poor preparations ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the N2.9 billion he released to the defunct National Sports Commission (NSC) for preparations for the Games.

The federal government last year released the said funds for the country’s participation in the All Africa Games (now Africa Games), the Youth Olympics and preparation for the Rio Games. But, Sports Minister Solomon Dalung claims that the former Director General of the NSC, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, never briefed him on the disbursement of the funds, an allegation which Yakmut has vehemently denied.

In a statement over the weekend signed by the National Director, Sports, NANS, Comrade Godwin Erheriene, the student body called for a thorough probe of the matter seeing as it’s already having a negative effect on the athletes’ state of preparedness.

Vanguard reports that the body also pleaded with the government to release more funds towards the coming events, as it will be futile to send athletes to the games without adequate preparations.

While urging the government to ensure better supervision in the future, the statement maintained that Nigeria should ordinarily have no business complaining about inadequate funds ahead of international events.

“Lack of fund should not continue to be the excuse of sports men and women in our great country Nigeria which is also the giant of Africa. Nevertheless we urge the government to track every amount they want to approve for the training of our athletes to ensure that they get what is their due.”

 Team Nigeria departs for Brazil late July where they’ll bid to repair the damage done from the London 2012 Games.