FG Pledges To Finance Surgery Of Five Athletes

The federal government may seems to be toe­ing a different path as it has promised to finance the treatment of five Team Nigeria athletes that sustained various degrees of injuries while representing the country at the Tokyo Olympics.

The athletes are Enoch Adegoke, Blessing Oborodu­du, Oluwatobiloba Amusan, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi and Usheoritse Itsekiri.

Unlike in the past, the government has abandoned athletes that got injured while representing the country at major international champi­onships with many of them regretting representing their fatherland.

However, on Thursday in Japan, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, on behalf of the federal government promised in Japan, while Team Nigeria was being host­ed by the Nigeria Ambassa­dor to Japan, His Excellency, Abubakar Moriki Husaini. That all those who sustained injuries while representing this country would be taken care off by the government.

According to him, the Ministry would finance their expenses, adding that any other athlete that is nursing any injury would also be taken care off by the govern­ment.

“I have to sincerely thank all the athletes and officials that worked assiduously to make Team Nigeria a success.,” he said, adding, “To compete and win medals at the Olympics is a great honour.

“The federal government is proud of you all but let me quickly add that the Ministry of Youths and Sports Devel­opment will take care of the treatment of Enoch Adegoke, Blessing Oborodudu, Oluwa­tobiloba Amusan, Chukwue­buka Enekwechi and Usheo­ritse Itsekiri plus any of the athletes that is nursing any injury.”

Meanwhile, Ambassador Husaini thanked the athletes for the good work and quality representation they gave the country especially the medal­lists.

In similar vein, Engineer Habu Ahmed Gumel, Presi­dent, Nigeria Olympic Com­mittee (NOC) who presented the International Olympic Committee Pins and certifi­cates to the medallists urged them to prepare themselves very well for the forthcoming Games and events, so that they can perform better. Also, he praised the minister for his effort on the athletes and the working relationship that exists between the ministry and NOC.