Reuben Buhari
14 October 2008
Kaduna — The National Sport Festival slated for November 15 -23rd in Kaduna State has received a boost with the donation of 30 new cars by Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria (PAN) which also promised that more will be supplied if the need arises.
Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State, who received the cars from the chairman of PAN, Alhaji Sani Dauda, described the donation as a gesture that would help toward ensuring the smooth commencement of the festival. He added that the state's investment in sport during the festival would be an added boost to the development of sport in the state.
Speaking earlier, the deputy governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, who is also the chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the festival, stressed the state's determination in hosting the best sport festival and said that the over 16,000 athletes being expected inKaduna for the festival would not encounter any problem as the state is not leaving any stone unturned in its bid to ensure that athletes go back home with fond memories of the state and the festival's organisation.
The Managing Director of PAN, Dr. Haroun Aliyu, who spoke after his chairman had given the keys to Sambo, said: "Today is indeed a rare moment for PAN, as it affords us a rare opportunity to complement the effort of Kaduna state government in the onerous task of hosting the 16th National Sport Festival. Already we feel highly encourage by the first class facilities the administration is putting in place for the games. We share the same cause as stakeholders in the state and we make bold to say that KADA 2008 is indeed our game for which we are making sure that it does not suffer from any logistical headaches," he said, adding that the donation is part of the company's corporate responsibility which they will continue to improve on.
He also hoped that the festival would boost networking among athletes, discover new talents and critically enhance human development in the country.
Meanwhile the state's Commissioner for Sport, Alhaji Shehu Adamu has reassured all the state's athletes that the states is committed to their welfare.
The commissioner said this in relation to a demonstration that was held early yesterday by the state's athletes over demands for better welfare.
The athletes had gone to Government House around 7am and held a demonstration where they complained that the N1000 given to them daily as allowance for transportation to their training venue and feeding is not enough. They also added that the Federal Training Centre in Malali, where they have been camped doesn't have any medical facility and is infested with mosquitoes, adding that they decided to embark on the demonstration after their repeated complaints fell on deaf ears.
The sport commissioner, who held the press briefing at the Murtala Square, while flanked by the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Saidu Adamu and that of Intergovernmental Relationship, Alhaji Abdullaziz Mohammed, said the athletes complaint was being looked at when they embarked on the demonstration, however adding that all issues have now been settled with the athletes.
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