The much publicised 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Eko 2012 kicks off today amidst hisses from all quarters as the organisers are still battling to put finishing touches on the festival preparation.

Journalists and athletes grumbled yesterday over the inability of the MOC to come up with accreditation cards while some officials complained of unpaid allowances.

Sports journalists covering the festival waited in vain to get their accreditation tags after three months of filling them.

The situation puts both the journalists and athletes at a very tight corner to cope with the tight security guards that will be on ground today for the opening ceremony at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere Lagos.

When Sports Vanguard visited the Media centre of the event, a female official who pleaded anonymity said the accreditation cards were not ready and wouldn't say when it would be ready.

However, over 1,000 members of the callisthenics group for the festival were at the stadium rounding off their preparation for the opening ceremony.

A spokesman for the calisthenics group, Mrs Tayo Popoola said that her group would stun the spectators with their thrilling displays, coupled with choral music, at the ceremony.