The Local Organising Committee of the Nigeria Colleges of Education Games Association on Thursday disclosed that it is yet to access the N5 million fund approved for it by the Federal Government.
The Provost of the Niger State College of Education and Chairman of the LOC, Prof. Faruk Haruna Rasheed, said at an interactive session and sensitisation for staff and officials at the College Hall in Minna, that several efforts are being made to ensure the release of the funds before the games start.
According to Rasheed: “I have not received any money from the Federal Government.
“I know we are making efforts to get money from the Education Trust Fund and hopefully we will get it before the commencement of the games.
“We have been very proactive.
“Otherwise by now, we would have been thinking of where we are going to host the opening and closing ceremony.
“We have been able to get support from the state government and some multi-national organisations who have given us Macopolo Bus, an ambulance, four hiace buses, water tanker, two tractors.
“We are however over 95 per cent ready for games.”
Rasheed said further that the LOC has been able to cope even without the needed funding from the Federal Government.
He added: “I know they have approved N5 million, which we are still awaiting.
“Till now, we have not been able to access the funds.
“But that of ETF (N50 million) we are going to access it soonest because we have done over 70 per cent of what we need to do to access the fund.”
Prof. Rasheed however assured that guests, participants and officials will witness one of the best NICEGA games ever hosted in the country as over 100 Colleges of Education are expected in the state for the games.