The Rivers State 17th National Sports festival contingents want the Rivers State government fulfill the pledge it made to the sportsmen and women, who contested on behalf of the state. Rivers State did not only host, but went on to clinch the “Gold medal” in a big style.
Five months after the 17th National Sports festival, nothing has been heard from the Rivers state government side. The state government before the sports fiesta pledged to reward its contingents handsomely if they could clinch the over all gold medal record for the state. This the contingents in high spirit did by securing the over all gold medal in the log table.
At the time of filing in this report the Rivers state government has not come out with a clear statement as to what to do with the contingents. The contingents have not been formally and officially received by the government while states like Delta, Akwa Ibom and others have received and rewarded their contingents long ago.
According to its promises to the contingents, the gold medalists will be given scholarship to any university of their choice in the country with a cash reward, even as the state is looking forward to defend the first position title it won later in Lagos state, come 2012.
The fate of the contingents is bunk as no concrete statement has been made to lift the spirits of the desperate contingents. Already some of the contingents are considering shifting to states that could give them their right and value their talents.
For now, no one is sure of the fate of the contingents. Only God can tell what awaits the heroes that have won the gold medal for the state. ###
Allanso Jonathan Allanso
