The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, National Lottery Trust Fund, Habu Gumel, has indicted Delta state government officials on the sales sports equipment donated to the state by the Nigeria federal government.
Mr. Gumel who made the accusation last week Thursday at the official launch and presentation of sports equipment to 52 benefiting primary schools in the state held at the premises of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Asaba, expressed fears that sooner or later the sports equipment might be seen in public markets in the state.
“Your Excellency, these materials are very important, we have labeled them with our logo in each and every one of them so that when they are in the market, they can be detected. Being what we are as Nigerians, I will not be surprised to see them in the market but I want to appeal to Delta State government, these items are not supposed to go to the market because we have already alerted security agencies, our staff will be monitoring.
“They will be going to schools on quarterly basis to make sure that they are there. I beg you in the name of God; these materials should not be seen in any market in Delta state. The state government must ensure the safe keeping of the sports equipment so that they are not stolen. We have already alerted security agencies to apprehend any culprit who diverts these federal government intervention materials”.
He called on pupils, teachers and SUBEB management to raise alarm if the materials are not seen in the various schools, stressing that other stakeholders should do the work of security agencies to monitor the sports items.
“Ask your teachers, where are our sports equipment? They should bring them back to you. So, let us help these innocent children. Let us do our best, they are the future champions and these are the people that will make this country proud in the future”.
In his response, the state governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, said, “One thing that I want to assure the executive secretary is that because we are a lover of sports and because we are a great sporting state, you are not going to find any of these things in the market. In fact, we even need more than these. We are appealing and asking that you bring more of these to Delta State, we will utilize each and every item that is delivered to us here”. Ebie promised.
