ZAMFARA MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE COMING NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL 2021 IN EDO STATE
ZAMFARA MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE COMING NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL 2021 IN EDO STATE
Zamfara State may not participate in the coming 2021 National Sports Festival in Edo State due to lack of funding unless something urgently is done, Journalists investigation has revealed.
The National Sports Festival is scheduled to commence on April 4, 2021 in Edo State.
Today Friday April 2, 2021 is the arrival day for the festival but athletes and other sports officials from Zamfara are yet to know whether or not they will participate in spite of their readiness and confidence to return victorious if they go.
The investigation also revealed that there is no arrangement by the State Directorate of Sports Development to leave the state because of lack of financial mobilisation from government.
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Some of the athletes named to participate in the festival who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity expressed dismay over the situation which they said they have never experienced.
“We are not happy with the situation, we are not expecting to leave and participate in the Sports Festival in Edo because there is no funding from the government”, athletes said
They appealled to Governor Bello Matawalle to consider their situation so that they can go and make the state, its people and government more proud.
Most of the Sports stakeholders in the state who also spoke to Journalists in a condition of anonymity expressed dismay over the situation and called for Governor Matawalle’s urgent intervention.
All attempts to speak with the officials of the State Directorate of Sports Development proved abortive.
But up to the time of filing this report, no arrangement was made by the Directorate to indicate that the state’s contingent will leave the state for the NSP in Edo State.
Reacting to the issue, the state Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara said the state government made all necessary arrangements to participate in the festival.
“The state government has procured sports items and equipments for the festival worth millions of naira.
“The money for the logistics of the athletes and other officials of the state Directorate of Sports Development to participate in the event had been earmarked.
“As I am speaking to you now, our athletes may leave the state to Edo any moment from today”, Dosara explained.
