BY EZEOCHA NZEH
Determined to ensure that Nigeria improves from it’s podium performance at the last Olympic Games, the House of Representatives Committee on Sports has commenced it’s oversight functions over all the agencies that are saddled with the preparation of Nigerian athletes ahead of the Paris Olympics games
To this extent, the Committee has ordered the president and members of the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) to appear before it next Thursday to furnish the committee on steps so far taken to ensure a podium performance for Nigerian athletes at the forthcoming games
The order followed the inability of the NOC Predident, Habu Gumel, to appear with other NOC board members in the earlier meeting scheduled for Thursday 30th May at the House of Representatives complex in Abuja
The NOC was however represented at the meeting by its vice Predident, Solomon Ogba, Secretary Popoola and other members in ludo g the former secretary of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria Mari Worphil and others
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The NOC vice president noted that the president, Habu Gumel ,was unavoidably absent at the meeting, stating that he was outside the country to attend a meeting of the International Olympics Committee (IOC)
But chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Hon Ekene Abubakar Adams, insisted that the presence of the NOC chairman was highly needed at the meeting, stressing that there are much that he would be expected to tell his committee on Team Nigeria preparation for the games
Hon Adams, who represents Kajuri/ Chikum federal constituency in Kaduna state, emphasized that all the Sports committee is doing to ensure the Nigeria improves on it’s participation at previous Olympics games, adding that the right thing must be done to return the country to its original podium position I sports
He therefore insisted that the NOC must report back to the meeting on Thursday for the interest of sports development in the country.
Briefing journalists after the botched meeting, the House Committee on Sports chairman said; “We have rescheduled for Thursday next week, we have asked the NOC to go so that they can brief us proper because of how important we attach the game of sports
We urge the chairman to respect the voice of the people and appear before the committee next week
Hon Adams, who assured that such oversight functions must be extended to the Ministry of Sports, which is originally saddled with the tack of preparation Nigeria. athletes for the games noted that “This is not the first time we invite NOC. We should know the level of preparation of the Nigerian team. We should be told about all their preparations, if they have problems we should know and see how to help . We are here to see to the development of Nigerian sports. We are not fighting anybody, but we must do the right thing to develop sports in the country
“NOC is doing it’s best we know and we must commend them, but we must work to see a better administration of sports in the country
“By the provisions of the constitution, the NASS has the powers to over see the growth of sports. After the NOC, the committee will extend similar invitation to the sports ministry because our target is to ensure that the ministry and agencies utilize the federal government appropriations to.orepate our athletes to win laurels for the country as against the mere participation status of Nigeria in previous Olympic Games” He explained
