The Bauchi State Commissioner of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Muhammad Adamu Lassi has confirmed that athletes from the state that won medals at the last National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt are yet to be rewarded by the state government. This is coming as other states are concluding plans for the net edition coming up in November in Lags State.?
The Commissioner told Journalists that despite the promise made by the state government to reward athletes that won medals at the last fiesta with cash awards in addition to the automatic employment promised all gold medalists, exactly one year after, the government is yet to redeem the pledge.
The state athletes won 4 gold medals, 7 silver and 7 bronze to finish 17th on the overall medals table in a festival the state government spent N60m to ensure participation.
Alhaji Lassi stated that arrangements are in top gear for the participation of the state athletes in the next National Sports Festival tagged “Eko Games” slated for November this year. He revealed that open camping would soon commence ahead of the intra zonal festival fixed for Gombe in September.
He disclosed that the state government has approved the release of N41m to the state owned football club Wikki Tourists at the moment battling to escape relegation. He said this is to enable it pay 40% sign-on fees of players and officials for the 2011/2012 Premier League season since the club is owing its players sign on fees to the tune of over N100m.
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