AFN yet to pay NATO officiating allowances seven months after National Trials in Benin

Officials who officiated at the Nigerian Athletics Championships last July in Benin City, Edo state are yet to be paid their allowances by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, Sportsnow.com.ng has been told.

The officials, under the National Athletics Technical Officials, NATO, had written a Save Our Soul letter to Tonobok Okowa, President of the AFN last December pleading with the Federation to act responsibly and pay but their pleads have not been noticed.

In the letter, the officials, through their President, Prof Lucas Ogunjimi recounted the harrowing experience their members went through to get the job done.

‘Many of our members were compelled to borrow money in order settle their hotel bills and or pay their transport back home because of lack of payment of officiating allowance.

‘But the firm commitments you gave to me when I presented the case to you in Lome (Togo) at the CAA Reg. 2 Championships, and later on in Lagos (Lagos Series) were sufficient to give us the hope that the bills (payments) would be settled as expected and appropriately,’ the letter read iner-alia.

Some members of NATO went a step further by calling on the Sports Minister, John Enoh to prevail on the AFN to pay but their pleas were ignored.

Some of the officials will be at the MTN Championship which start this weekend in Asaba for the event and the African Games trials. They are delighted that it is Making of Champions, private athletics club that will be responsible for the payment of their allowances and not the AFN.

‘We are happy it is not the AFN that will be in charge of our renumeration. Those guys there are only after themselves,’ said of the officials who pleaded not to be named.

‘We can no longer trust a federation who believes in self preservation. We have been reading about how the Premium Trust Bank Sponsorship money has been diverted from the purposes it was meant for and shared by a few.

‘This is the worst AFN in our history,’ added the official who wondered what Enoh has been doing since he assumed leadership of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development.

‘Like this AFN, I hope he will not end up as Nigeria’s worst Sports Minister. He seems to be unconcerned about the allegations of corruption, diversion and misappropriation and incompetence at the AFN.’

The SOS letter written to Okowa

SPECIAL SOS TO OUR AMIABLE AFN PRESIDENT

Good morning my President,

Kindly allow me to bring to your notice the most unfortunate treatment that members of our Association (NAATO) received from the Federation (AFN) over our participation (officiating) at the World Championships Trials in Benin City.

Many of our members were compelled to borrow money in order settle their hotel bills and or pay their transport back home because of lack of payment of officiating allowance.

But the firm commitments you gave to me when I presented the case to you in Lome (Togo) at the CAA Reg. 2 Championships, and later on in Lagos (Lagos Series) were sufficient to give us the hope that the bills (payments) would be settled as expected and appropriately.

Sir, the World Championship has come and gone for several weeks/months now, and several efforts made by our National Secretary to interact /discuss the matter for this payment with both the Federation Secretary General and the TD have yielded no positive results.

The pains of not been informed (or treated as valued individuals) while on ground at the stadium in Benin City (or even after they had all left for their different homes) about why the allowances were not paid, and coupled with the insults received from hoteliers before they could borrow money to settle their bills, truly justify the pains and resentments now being expressed by members.

My President sir, the fact that these members are from different backgrounds and independent/different professional callings, coupled with the bitting/hostile economic climate prevalent, I sincerely believe that your immediate intervention and directives to the Federation to get these allowances paid without further delay are urgently and highly required now.

It would be highly appreciated if necessary action be taken to get this matter positively resolved.

Thank you very much

Prof. Ogunjimi Lucas
(NAATO PRESIDENT)