Benue State athletes have decried the lack of facilities, poor welfare, and government neglect ahead of the Paralympic Games.
They lamented the absence of critical sports facilities, inadequate training equipment and prolonged neglect by the state government.
Chairman of the association, Mr Agada Austine, told sports writers that the challenges are coming at a critical time when athletes are preparing for the Paralympic Games scheduled to hold in March.
Agada maintained that the lack of basic infrastructure and motivation has greatly affected preparations and has equally compelled many talented athletes to leave the state for greener pastures.
He said, “We are preparing for the Paragames coming up in March this year, but there are numerous challenges that are confronting us, the training facilities which need to be put in place, and a shortage of training equipment.
“No tracks, as a thrower that I am, no facility for it, no kits. There should be closed camps for the athletes and most especially, monetary motivations, which are the reasons Benue State is losing a lot of potential athletes to other states searching for greener pastures because there is no zeal to compete”.
Agada said representing Benue State remains a source of pride for members of the association, stressing that athletes are eager to compete for their home state if the challenges confronting them are addressed.
“We have worked so hard and are motivated by self-passion. We started here in the state, but because there is no motivation, some of us decided to compete in other states.
“It is pertinent to state here that we members of this association have tried seeing the commissioner for sports a couple of times and have written letters to the audience with him, but surprisingly, no one has come to address us even as we speak, has not deemed it fit to address us, the athletes at the sports council and this is very wrong.
“As a youth and sports Commissioner, without sports, that ministry will not be complete. We have written out our request and documented it, but no one to submit it to.”
He appealed to the state government to ensure timely approval and release of funds for sporting events, noting that delays have continued to embarrass the state at national competitions.
He cited the last National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta, where Benue’s contingent reportedly arrived late, resulting in only one athlete representing the state during the march past.
“When we returned from the last NSF in Abeokuta, where we won medals, nothing was done about it to appreciate us by the state, even as we speak, and this is enough to demoralise the spirit of the athletes who won medals for the state.
At least, we should have been hosted, given awards and told well done for representing the state well in spite of the challenges that we faced, ranging from inadequate preparations due to lack of training pitches, financial backing and the late arrival to Abeokuta because it is not easy to leave your family behind in another state, for up to two weeks.”
