By Samuel Akpan in Abeokuta
Protests by Ogun State athletes at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival have paralyzed activities at Babcock University, Ilisan, which serves as the Games Village for the games.
The athletes are demanding payment for five months of unpaid camp allowances, totaling over N350,000.
Their action, which involved blocking all university access points, has severely disrupted the normal operations for both students and staff.
A protesting athlete, who wished to remain anonymous, told a Persecondnews correspondent: “They are owing us five months’ camping allowance, that’s over N350,000. Before we came to Babcock, we had a five-month camp where we were promised to be paid N75,000 per month.”
“That is the contract money. A day before the opening ceremony, imagine a host state without kits; some of us had to buy our training kits ourselves.”
The protest has also affected university staff, who are stranded outside the gates.
“I came to work and can’t access my office. Look at all my colleagues outside,” said an administrative staff member.
“What Babcock did to the Ogun State Government was corporate responsibility; it wasn’t about money to camp athletes in its facilities. The government should do the needful to avoid such embarrassment. ”
The protest has also affected today’s 9.00am Handball final at the Alake Sport Centre at Ijeja, Abeokuta, as athletes were unable to access the venue due to the blockade.
Dr. Ademola Are, a member of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation, is currently mediating with the athletes to resolve the situation.
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