President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that anybody who does not have
any business in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games should not be part of the
contingent.
Ohaa said that paucity of funds for the Games necessitated
the presidential directive on the account of the government list.
Ohaa, who represented the Minister, Solomon Dalung,
said
“We have been directed by Mr President that anybody who does
not have any business in the Rio Games should not be part of the
contingent. As you are all aware, it has to do with the paucity of fund
occasioned by the general economic situation in the country”.
The Reps committee members wondered how they would carry out
their statutory oversight function of monitoring the Nigerian athletes.
The permanent secretary also revealed that there would be no
chartered flight for the Nigerian athletes and the officials to the Olympics.
He argued that there were no basis to charter flight since
many of the athletes and teams like the basketball are already outside the
country.
Ohaa said it would be economical to make traveling
arrangements with some airlines.
He said: “we are already discussing with some airlines to
lift those in Nigeria”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Reps
committee on sports had summoned the Minister of Finance, the
Accountant-General of the Federation, and the budget office to appear before
it.
They are to brief the committee on the delay in release of
fund in preparation for the Olympics.
NAN also reports the minister assuring Nigerians of Team
Nigeria’s capability to win at least five medals at the 2016 Olympics following
the ministry’s request of additional N2 billion for the country’s participation
in the Games.
The ministry had an initial budget of N500 million for the
Games.
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