By George Aluo
Former chairman of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Dan Ngerem wants sports minister, Solomon Dalung to set a target for board members who would emerge from the sports federations election now billed for next month.
Ngerem who spoke exclusively to Sunday Sunsports yesterday also wants the minister to ensure no genuine stakeholder is disenfranchised ahead of the election.
In Ngerem’s words:”The minister and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) should ensure no genuine stakeholder that wants to run is disenfranchised. They should be transparent in the conduct of the election. That is how to make the outcome of the election credible and that way sports can attract the support of the private sector. Beyond that the minister should set a target of performance for those who eventually make into the various federations. A board member must perform to return after four years. The present situation in which we have board members who only wait for government to release money for international trips is not helping our sports. We need to have board members who can attract sponsorship to their sports. Board members who can take their sports to the private sector. Board members who are not just going to scheme for foreign trips during international competitions. That is the way forward.”
Ngerem stressed that everything should be done to make the sports federations election peaceful as in fighting in Nigerian sports makes it unattractive to sponsors.
“Government hasn’t enough money to put into sports. The only way to attract sponsorship is for those running our sports to play to the rules and as I have always advocated to be transparent.”