Danagogo Instructs Payment of Athletes in Glasgow
The Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo, has directed the immediate payment of the competition allowances of Team Nigeria athletes at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Danagogo gave the directive after complaint by the athletes over the non-payment of their competition allowance by officials of the National Sports Commission. They also complained of non-availability of kits, noting their success so far in the games was through personal efforts.
The minister, who is in Glasgow now, said that the athletes would duly receive their allowance and that his early presence at the games was to ensure that his direction was followed.
He said: “Everything has been sorted out; that is why we are personally on ground now to make sure we look at this complaints. Their allowances are there, it’s just that those in charge of their payment decided to do it their own way but I have told them to change it.
“If the athletes expect their allowance immediately, then, it should be given to them immediately because the money is there for them.”
He continued: “It’s not like we don’t have it, but they (NSC officials) were saying they don’t want to give them money to distract them; they wanted them to have the money at the end of the competition. But if the athletes are saying ‘no’ they want it now, for me it should be given to them provided it does not distract them.”
