Abakaliki – Sports fans in Ebonyi have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for financially rewarding the nation's Paralympics athletes and the Falconets, who excelled in their respective competitions.
The president jointly hosted the Paralympian athletes and the Falconets at the State House in Abuja on Saturday.
The sum of N5 million was doled out to Paralympics gold medalists, N5 million for silver and N2 million for bronze medalists while their officials received N2.5million each.
Each member of the Falconets squad received N1 million while the officials received N1.2million each.
The Paralympians won six gold medals, five silver medals, and one bronze medal at the just concluded Paralympics Games in London while the Falconets placed fourth in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan.
In separate interviews on Sunday in Abakaliki, the respondents collectively agreed that the gesture would boost the morale of athletes to perform better for the country in sports.
Mr Godwin Odionye, Chairman of Ebonyi Referees Association, said the largesse was what was needed at this point in time to reward excellence in the country's sports endeavours.
"This is a master stroke from the President as it will usher in positive results for the country in the sports sector.
"Athletes would now be motivated to excel as they would know that any good result would be appreciated by the government.
"Impressive results would now be churned out like magic, starting with the Flamingoes, at the forthcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Azerbaijan,'' he said.
Chief Adol Awam, a renowned sports administrator in the state said that President has set the tone for revamping sports after the country's dismal outing at the London Olympics.
"Nigeria's sports witnessed an unprecedented downturn since 1999 due to the previous administrations' policy of rewarding athletes with only a “ handshake''.
"One of the athletes under my tutelage lamented that there was no longer motivation to excel in sports, when the country's hardworking athletes are only rewarded with a “ handshake''.
"The President should ensure the policy is sustained,'' he said.
Mrs Adlaine Nwizzi, Sports Administrative Officer with Izzi LGA, said the move would spur state Governors and LGA Chairmen to do likewise in their respective domains.
"If this move is replicated at the state and LGA levels, it would ensure the discovering and harnessing of budding talents who bring honours for the country.
"Grassroots sports development has been canvassed as the bedrock for revitalising sports in the country, as this added motivational policy would be the icing on the cake," she said.
Anthony Okwara, a banker, also said that the move would ensure more private sector involvement in the country's sports.
“The move will show government's sincerity in revitalising sports as efforts to develop the sector should be a collaborative one.
"The government should in addition to such motivational packages, create the enabling environment for private sector involvement in sports,'' he said.
Isabella Ubeyi, a retired female footballer called for stringent implementation of such motivational policies to avoid incidences of the past.
"Most of the promises made to deserving sportsmen and women in the past have not been fulfilled to date, as this dampens the morale of athletes to give their best for the country.
"Independent structures should be saddled with the responsibility of implementing the rewards to avoid bureaucratic bottlenecks associated with governmental agencies," she said. (NAN)
