By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
The immediate past Chairman, Benue State Athletics Association, Austin Agaba, has expressed concern over the lack of support for athletes in the state, citing numerous challenges particularly facing the Para- athletes team as they prepare ahead of the National Para- games slated for Abuja in March this year.
Agaba who spoke with sports journalists yesterday in Makurdi,highlighted the absence of training facilities, equipment, and kits, as well as inadequate monetary motivations, which have led to potential athletes seeking greener pastures in other states, suggesting that there should be closed camps for athletes and other motivating factors ahead of competitions.
” Why we want the challenges addressed is that it is a thing of pride to represent ones state, there is also the need for monies to be approved and released on time for every event in order to avoid what happened in the last NSF games at Abeokuta where the state contingent arrived late and only one athlete represented the state during the march pass” Agaba said appealing to the Benue State Government to address the challenges.
He recalled that when the contingent returned from the last NSF games in Abeokuta where medals were won for the state, nothing was done in terms of celebrating or appreciating those who won such medals by government,up to the time of this report, describing the development as demoralizing.
” We should have been at least hosted, given awards and told well done for representing the state well inspite of the challenges” Agaba lamented, adding that what what Benue athletes need most from government is show of interest in sports generally.
He suggested that the present administration should henceforth during preparations to competitions address athletes to make them know that government is interested in what they are doing for the state, stressing that this will go a long way in boosting the morale of the athletes.
Agaba also advised government to engage more youths in sports, expressing optimism that this will take them off the street where they are oftenly used as willing tools of destruction.
Gideon Amedu, a visually impaired short putter and discus thrower, sharing his personal experience, with journalists, recalled how he was forced to represent Bayelsa State due to lack of support from Benue State.
According to Amedu,he won gold and silver medals for Bayelsa in the National Sports Festival, receiving a ₦1.5 million prize money, adding despite that he did not feel fulfilled in the sense that the medals did not come to his home state of Benue.
He criticized the Benue State Government for neglecting athletes, urged the government to provide better welfare and support for athletes, citing the need for timely release of funds and adequate preparation for competitions.
The Para- athletes also told journalists that they made series of attempts to meet with the Youth and Sports Commissioner to lay their complaints but their efforts have been very unsuccessful, leading to frustration and disappointment.
The group called on the Benue State loving sports Governor, Hyacinth Alia to intervene by addressing the issues for Benue athletes to bounce back to winning ways.
Efforts to clarify issues raised by the group with the commissioner for Youth, Sports and Creativity at the time of this report failed as he was either not picking or returning calls.
