On the 8th of March 2016, the Federal Government of Nigeria technically merged the National Sports Commission with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in line with the restructuring of the civil service.
The former Director General of the commission, Al Hassan Yakmut revealed in a radio interview in Abuja after allegations from the Sport Minister, Solomon Dalung that he did not know how most of the N2.9 billion released by the Federal Government for the country’s preparation to the Rio 2016 Olympics was spent.
The former Director General said in his interview that “We paid out N250 million Naira for the team to the U-23 AFCON in Senegal and it was based on the approval of the minister”.
In another related development, the Honorable Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung stated that he paid a three times value from what he would have paid last year for the accommodation of Team Nigeria at the 2016 Olympics in August recently.
Dream Team VI qualified Nigeria for the Olympic football event holding in Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil this summer.
By Abiodun Abidoye
