RIO 2016: REPS ORDER IMMEDIATE RELEAS OF FUNDS TO NIGERIA TEAM

THE House of Representatives yesterday called on the Federal Government to immediately release funds to the Ministry of Sports to facilitate the country’s preparation for 2016 Rio Olympic Games. It called on the Ministry of Sport, Accountant General of the Federation and Budget office to ensure the immediate release of funds and also mandated its Committee on Sports to invite the Minister of Sports and President, Nigeria Olympic Committee to ascertain the level of preparations and report back within one week. The House in a resolution arising from the motion brought before the floor under matters of urgent public importance sponsored by Danburam Nuhu (APC-Kano), decried the non-provision of funds to Team Nigeria to begin preparations ahead of the Games scheduled to kick off from August 5. He expressed concern that athletes were not in camp few days to the commencement of the Games, lamenting that late preparation hampered the country’s performance in previous competitions. He stated that since there was budgetary provision to enable the country participate in the Olympics, funds should be released to enable athletes compete favourably, adding that the immediate release of funds to commence preparations will promote winning spirit of the team According to him, “The fund required to participate in the Olympics was captured in the 2016 Appropriation, which was passed by the House in March and signed into law since May 2016 yet not released to the Ministry of Sports.

 “This kind of preparation and 11th hour release of funds usually mars the performance of Team Nigeria.”