AAG: SHORTAGE OF FUND ROCKS TEAM NIGERIA CAMP

The Nigeria's government has been criticized for its nonchalant attitude towards the preparation of the country's athletes for the forthcoming All African Games in Maputo, Mozambique.

A former National athlete, Chief Seigha Porbeni told Trustsport in an exclusive interview that the government had to improve on its commitment to sporting activities in the Country before the country can be reckoned with again in the sporting world.

He lamented that fund is the most prominent ingredients of camping, stressing that lack or inadequate supply of it will spell doom for the entire process.

'It is in the news that the Nigerian team to the fiesta has been experiencing shortage of fund which is seriously affecting the progress of their preparation,' he said.

The former Director of Sports in the Delta State Government, said funding remains the life- line of any camping.

'If the athletes don't feed well, they will leave camp or may not prepare well for the task ahead,' he added.

Chief Porbeni maintained that this has made a real mockery of the camping exercise as it was meant to prepare the athletes physically, mentally and psychologically in the first place.

'Most of them are from average or poor family who cannot adequately cater for themselves', he posited.

Similarly, Obisia Nwankpa, Head Coach, Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), has lamented the slow pace of preparation by Team Nigeria for the games and complained about the lack of activity in the boxing camp.

He added that time was getting too short for adequate preparation of the boxing team for the games.

Obisia implored the NSC to spare no expense in preparing the country's contingent adequately for the games and not use the lack of money as an excuse to delay preparation.

'What we need is early and proper preparation and not one done haphazardly.

'Our preparation should be done in a systematic manner and not at the last minute when we want to build our Rome in one day,' he said.