Date: 2017-10-15

The Niger State Government has yet to pay the allowances of athletes and officials who made the state proud at the just concluded National Youths Games in Ilorin, Kwara State, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

It was learnt that the athletes and their officials were asked by the state Ministry of Sports to go ahead with the competition with an assurance that the total allowances would be paid before the end of the competition.

PUNCH correspondent gathered that the athletes were threatening to protest the ministry's unpreparedness to pay the accumulated allowances.

It was also learnt that almost all the sportspersons were abandoned by government officials, who had returned with them to Ilorin at the end of the competition.

The officials and athletes spoke on condition of anonymity.

The state Director of Sports, Baba Sheshi katcha, told SUNDAY PUNCH that efforts to clear the unpaid allowances of the athletes and officials in the team had been ongoing, adding that the ministry had not relaxed on the matter.

According to Katcha, he attended a meeting with the officials to assure them that the arrears will be paid as soon as possible.

"Apart from the allowances, I know that the governor will reward them too. The permanent secretary is also working round the clock to see that the contingents are honoured accordingly," he said.