Budgetary allocation for the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) will henceforth not be delayed so as to ensure sustainable development of the game in the country, according to Chairman House Committee on Sports, Honourable Godfrey Ali Gaiya.
Declaring the 5th NBBF Stakeholders Forum open at the National Institute for Sports, Abuja, on Monday, Hon. Gaiya lauded the current board of the federation led by Tijjani Umar for the strict coherence of its activities but lamented the poor disbursement of funds meant for sporting programmes in 2014.
“If out of over two billion naira approved for sporting activities, if just a 100 million was released by the Ministry of finance, there should be a mechanism of ensuring that such fund is shared in such percentage pro-rata that every federation captured be given their dues as at when due,” Gaiya said.
“I want to assure you that as I leave here, I will look into what was appropriated and has not been utilised, where it is hanging we will make it fall and where it.”
Also in attendance on Day 1 of the 4-day consultative forum was former president of the NBBF, Senator Usman Umar. Sen. Umar commended the current NBBF executive board for building on the legacy set by their predecessors.
In his opening address, NBBF president Umar highlighted the challenges faced by the federation in 2014, but expressed optimism that 2015 will be a better year for basketball in the country.
Umar also hinted that plans have been concluded for the national teams to resume camping ahead of the joint 2015 All Africa Games/Afrobasket tournaments with positive response from the National Sports commission. He also said the NBBF is poised on implementing the national youth team programme especially for the U-16 levels for the Zonal and Continental Championships for boys and girls.
The forum will review the new rules governing the game globally with a view to make everyone involve in the game in Nigeria to work on the same page for the sake of the game in Nigeria.
