Athletes who represented Rivers State at the 2018 National Sports Festival in Abuja, on Wednesday, staged a peaceful protest in front of the government house Port Harcourt for the failure of the state government to pay them their due allowances.
The athletes who displayed placards with different inscriptions, demanded the instant payment of their allowances and conferment of awards.
Recall that the athletes refused to perform during some of the games in Abuja over the inability of the state government to offset their allowances but the state government, through the commissioner of sports, Boma Iyaye, dismissed the allegations as false.
Some of the athletes who spoke to Theportcitynews said that they are still in shock over the attitude of the state government despite their sacrifices.
One of the athletes who didn’t want to be named said “This issue started in Abuja. Our contingents could not perform during some of the games streamlined for the event because of allowances.
” We were assured by coaches that it would be sorted out but here we are. It is disheartening”
Rivers state amassed a total of 69 gold, 58 silver and 66 bronze medals to finish second on the NSF log behind Delta State which took home 167 gold medals to top the table.
When contacted for comments on the matter, the commissioner for sports did not respond to our enquiries.
