2015 Games: Nigeria’s contingent departs Aug. 31

Director-General of National Sports Commission Alhassan Yakmut

The Director General, National Sports Commission, Al-Hassan Yakmut, on Wednesday said the country’s contingent to the All Africa Games would depart for Brazzaville on August 31.

Yakmut told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the contingent would gather in Abuja before travelling to the Congolese capital for the 11th edition of the games.

He said that Nigeria would feature in 19 events, including athletics, at the continental championships, adding that the welfare of the contingent was top on NSC’s priority. Yakmut said that the commission would ensure that the athletes were adequately cared for.

He said, “The Federal Government has released funds which will be channelled towards the AAG, World Youth Games in Samoa and preparation towards the Olympics.

“Athletes’ welfare will be our priority; the funds will be channelled towards their accommodation, feeding and flight, among others. We will ensure that the money given by the Federal Government will be used judiciously.

“It will be irresponsible if the money disbursed by NSC to federations is not used appropriately,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Yakmut said that the Federal Government had released N2.9bn for preparation for the All Africa Games.

Yakmut said this in Abuja at a meeting with the presidents and secretaries of sports federations in the country.

The director general said the meeting was to map out detailed plans for the Games slated for September 4 to 19 in Brazzaville.

He said the forum would decide Nigeria’s technical and administrative participation in the AAG and create a ‘technical connect’ for Nigeria’s participation in the 2016 Olympics.

He said, “The NSC got the approval of Mr President for the Ministry of Finance to provide about N2.97bn to take us to the All Africa Games and to prepare for the Olympics.

“We made a budget of N6.5bn as the request for our participation but later sat down as technocrats to review the budget and presented a modest proposal of N2.97bn.

“The approval came more than 45 days before the Games but the commission was proactive in starting camps for the Games 63 days before the approval.

“This was to ensure that all the segments for the games were involved in the medical assessment, fitness assessment, technical and tactical preparation and that they were all put together as we intensify preparation to ensure monitoring.”

Yakmut said that Nigeria’s participation was necessary since the country needed to showcase developments in sports over the years.

“Our participation in the 2015 All Africa Games is of significant importance because all countries that would be going for the games will be there to showcase empirical development in sport in their respective countries,” he said.