Unbelievable! Abuja Athletes Turn Beggars As SDS Holds Festival Funds

Unbelievable! Abuja Athletes Turn Beggars As SDS Holds Festival Funds ... athletes compete with empty stomach ... athletes thrown out of hotel ... Amanda Iyabode Pam alleged to hold on to the funds meant for sports festival By Admin Abuja athletes' smiling days may not come soon as some 'cabals' at the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) failed to release funds meant for FCT to run and finance the ongoing National Sports Festival. BSN Sports can reveal that Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammed Musa Bello has approved the funds and released by Director of Treasury to the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) but till this moment, nothing has come to the FCT Sports Department to execute and finance the ongiong festival programmes. Our further investigation revealed that SDS secretary, Barr Amanda Iyabode Pam who suppose to be at the forefront of how the money will be released and get to the athletes to boost their morale and in turn win more laurels for nation's capital is the one alleged to be sitting on the funds for reasons best to known to her. For the past six months, each Sports Association has been the one shouldering the responsibilities of FCT till when they were called to close camping. Since the Games started, FCT athletes have been competing with empty stomach, the sports department cannot pay their Association affiliation fees, they have to beg sports federations before athletes are allowed to compete, cannot pay athletes' camping allowance, athletes have been thrown out of hotel and may even face the worst if the money is not released soon. Many athletes have turned beggars as they take to streets to beg for food which definitely would reduce their chances of winning medals at the Games for the Territory. Our further investigation has it that the management of the sports department has totally become frustrated with the situation as every effort to make the woman see reasons have fallen on deaf ear. It is not known yet why the Social Development Secretary is holding on to the funds, more so as the Games is almost gone half way. The morale of the athlete has gone so low which is one of the reasons why they are 8th on medals table and may retrogress as the tournament continues. You may want to recall that it took several persuation and pleading before the minister could approve the Festival money, a situation that delayed their entering into close camping ahead of their participation at the Games. And the Secretary who is expected to be in the forefront of fighting for the release of the fund for Athletes is now the one holding on to the released fund. It is an aberration for sports to be under Social Development Secretariat and if truely, FCT is serious about Sports development, then sports must be independent, being under Social Development Secretariat has really done more harms than good. It is high time, the FCT ministry create sports commission or at least sports council if they want to save themselves from all these pathetic and embarrassing stories. Attempt to reach the secretary, Barr Amanda Iyabode Pam for her explanation was not possible as her aids could not allow us access to her.