Immediate release of fund

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.”