By Abdulgafar Oladimeji
Failure to pay Kano state athletes and coaches that represented the state at the just concluded National Para Games events held in FCT Abuja has continued to generate ripples in the sports circle .
The state para athletes , coaches, officials, supporting staff and sports writers have expressed dissatisfaction with the manner the issue of their welfare packages were been managed by the commissioner for sports and other relevant Kano state government sports organs.
As at when filling this report, the state government through the state ministry of youths and sports is yet to pay members of the state contingent their owed dues, for flying the state flag at the historic national sports event.
Our checks revealed that , Kano state supervising commissioner for youths and sports, Hamza Safiyanu Katchako has been synonymous with conflicting statements bordering on the failed payments of entitlements to members of the state contingent to the games.
The issue has made media headlines causing the state government unwarranted embarrassments in the sports circle and the public domain at large.
Katchako in an interview with an hausa private radio station in Kano, while the contingent was in far away FCT Abuja taking part at the games had boasted saying “ we have provided all that the state contingent needed, everything was made available to them before they travelled to Abuja to represent the state at the games.
He further said “we have provided monies for the registration of the state athletes, their feeding, accommodation, transportation , we have also taken care of all their needs including allowances, before they left Kano for FCT Abuja.”
Trouble started, when impeccable news outlets had reported contrary to the claims earlier made by the sports commissioner.
The state athlete, officials , backroom staff and accompanying sports journalists took the matter to public space , disclosing that they were not paid their entitlements either prior or during the games, in contradiction to the media comments attributed to the sports commissioner, Mr Katchako
Sources said “ Kano contingent had planned to stage a protest in Abuja by refusing to return back home, to attract the attention of the state governor to their plight, they were stopped and they were prevailed upon to return back to Kano, with the promise that their monies will be paid immediately they touch down in Kano, a promise that was not fulfilled.”
Our correspondent reports that, on the return of Team Kano back to the state, commissioner Katchako hurriedly convene a meeting with the para athletes and officials in a bid to douse brewing tension, he assured members of the contingent that their monies will be paid in about a week period.
Sports journalists under the aegis of Sports Writers association of Nigeria, SWAN Kano chapter had frustratedly issued a press statement narrating the ordeals suffered by the state contingent at the games, urging the state government to investigate the allotment and use of the funds allegedly released from the state coffers, to prosecute the games.
In a recorded audio of the meeting between Katchako and the contingent, a soft copy tht was obtained by pyramidsportsnews.com, Katchako confirmed that bureaucratic hitches were responsible for the failure to pay the contingent their owed monies.
He went further to accuse Kano sports journalists of been used by opposition forces to blackmail the governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf led government in the state.
Ktachako speaking in hausa, in a reverse statements said “ the allowances and all entitlements will soon be paid, we have a new secretary to the state government, which has created a transition period, this is one of the reasons that is responsible for the delays.
“at this stage we have made significant progress to make sure they are paid, that is the reason behind todays meeting, that was held with members of the state contingent and they are all now happy with all what we told them.”
A source who confided in our reporter said “ at the meeting with the commissioner for sports, after we returned from Abuja, we reached a gentleman agreement that they will pay us all our monies latest on Wednesday 20th December, 2023, as at 22nd December 2023, no body has been paid a dime.”
Kano state senior para coach, who spoke under the condition of anonymity over the fear of reprisal from his employers said “ we left Kano with the promise that when we get to Abuja for the games, we will receive our monies.
“we went an spent the stipulated days in Abuja, all we get were promises from one excuse to another, some us were taking care of our players from our private pockets.
“we came back to Kano, still excuses everyday, the commissioner called for a meeting, he made promises, as I speak to you today Thursday morning none of us have been paid.
“Despite all the troubles and maltreatment, Kano came overall third place because of the commitment of the athletes, coaches and other officials , nobody is talking of rewards for our achievements , because even our proper allowances is not given to us talk less of rewarding us for our outstanding performance .” the anonymous state official stated.
