The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for 2018 Africa Senior Athletics Championships held in Asaba, Delta State, Evangelist Solomon Ogba, has described as untrue that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) got $150, 000 from the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) for the event.
In a statement released through his Media Adviser, Olukayode Thomas, Ogba yesterday said the money from the CAA was explicitly given to the LOC to assist in the hosting of the continental championships and was never meant for the Federation as suggested. “It is a global norm that when cities are to host important events, governing and continental bodies give monetary and technical assistance to support the Local Organising Committees, so the $150, 000 was assistance for the LOC, not AFN. FIFA does similar things in football just like other world sporting bodies,” he said.
“That said, if the $150, 000 is even converted to naira,” Ogba noted, “that it is a pittance to what was spent to host Asaba 2018, which was adjudged as one of the best organised editions of the continental showpiece.” Ogba, who resigned from the AFN board early yesterday, wondered why accusing fingers are been pointed at the AFN and no one is talking about the N850million applied for by the sports ministry to support the African championships.