Dalung bemoans late release of funds for National Sports Festival

The Minister of youths and sports , Barr Solomon Dalung has decried the late release of funds needed to host the 2018 National Sports Festival billed to hold in Abuja.

He made this call during the Pre Scientific Congress on National Sports Festival in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, the ministry has been able to record huge successes despite the poor budgetary allocation to the ministry.

“All these huge successes were recorded with paltry allocation and all I said is injustice. Nigeria must look round investing in sports because it’s doing very well.

“We are planning and hosting the national sports festival in 9 months instead of 2 years. You should expect some of the challenges we are facing,” he noted.

He further stated that by releasing funds very late, Nigeria has not learnt any lesson.

The minister also stated that since he was appointed a minister, the ministry has never gotten appropriated on time.

“We must always struggle, follow and sometimes reach the office of the president before we get funds released to us,” he bemoaned.

He, therefore, revealed that the funds for the National Sports Festival have just been released even as the ministry had sent its proposal since funds March 2018.

“The government must change the attitude of releasing money at the dying minute. We have not come to appreciate sports as major factor of national development.

“We still see sports as recreation. Sports create wealth, promotes peace and unity,” he concluded.