As the National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Enugu State in November 2026, athletes and Coaches in the Federal Capital Territory are “crying out” loud to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON for his immediate intervention to their plights.
The Athletes and Coaches represented by a Coach who asked to be anonymous pleaded with the Minister to take immediate action on the fulfilment of awards promised them for their performance at the 22nd edition of the National Festival 2024, Gateway Games hosted by Ogun State and the National Youth Games hosted by Delta State.
He appreciated the FCT Minister for the approval he granted last year, 2025, for the rewards for the Athletes and Coaches but regretted that the money approved remained unpaid.
He reminded that another National Sports Festival, Coal City Games, Enugu comes up in less than six months and the morale of the athletes is at low ebb.
He is disturbed that the Athletes they have been training may soon become vulnerable by shifting allegiance to States that are ready to offer attractive incentives to represent them.
He emphasized that while the athletes are pursuing greener pastures, the coaches who have trained them and the FCT become losers especially that many of them are medal hopefuls.
The coach lamented that all of the FCT athletes are not on the payroll of the FCTA and wondered why the gesture of reward by the FCT Minister for their past performance keeps lingering.
He cautioned that more athletes may soon move to other States with good welfare packages and this must be averted.
He further pleaded with the FCT Minister to prevail on the Treasury Department of FCTA to treat the rewards for athletes and officials with the urgency it requires.
He also requested the Minister to grant immediate approval and release of funds for preparations and participation of the Federal Capital Territory in the National Sports Festival, Enugu 2026.
By Benjamin Gabriel.
