2019 NYG: Team FCT Officials Held Hostage Over Unpaid Accommodation Fee, Athletes At The Verge of Destitution

2019 NYG: Team FCT Officials Held Hostage Over Unpaid Accommodation Fee, Athletes At The Verge of Destitution

By Kareem Abdulsalam, Ilorin

Officials of Team FCT at the ongoing 2019 National Youth Games in Ilorin may be held hostage as they are unable to offset the balance for their accommodation fees, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

BSN Sports understands that the officials which includes the coaches and the sports association secretaries have not received a dime since their arrival at the University of Ilorin, the venue for the 5th National Youth Games. The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had promised to get funds available for the annual Games which gave them the confidence to leave on credit but till Sunday, 15th September, 2019 (the last day of the tournament) a dime has not been paid to the coaches and athletes who represent FCT at the Youth Games.

Some of the officials who rented an apartment inside the school campus will not be released by the hostel staff as they are yet to pay for their accommodation. The hostel staff have threatened not to allow them move out of their apartment unless their money is paid today.

Hoping that money will flow in from Abuja, Team FCT on Tuesday are on top of the overall medals table at the 2019 National Youth Games but their hope of getting their allowances diminishes by the day and that affects their performances which in turn drops Team FCT to 10th position on the log.

BSN Sports investigation revealed that the FCT minister, Malam Muhammed Bello who has been returning unspent yearly budgeted funds back to the treasury in the last few years led to the cutting down of FCT budget by the national assembly. Muhamed Bello has benefited from the the action as he emerged best minister on two occasion.

The reduction in the annual budget forced FCT Administration to cut down every sector's budget. The decision that affected the funding of the 2019 National Youth Games.

Information reaching BSN Sports has it that the fund has been released but the Department of Treasury has not disbursed the fund to Social Development Secretariat (SDS) the department that will in turn pay the fund to the FCT Sports Department.

As at the time of filing this report, the athletes are confused and have lost focus as their hope of receiving their entitlement hang in the balance while other states have paid their athletes their due allowance.