Sports development minister, Senator John Owan-Enoh, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved over N12 billion for Team Nigeria’s preparation and participation at the forthcoming 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics in Paris, France.
Enoh made the disclosure during a parley with sports writers at the Media Center of Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, yesterday.
He said the President approved the entire budget estimate submitted for Nigeria’s participation in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics respectively.
According to Senator Enoh, The approved N12 billion is divided into two parts, with N9 billion for the Olympics involving able-bodied athletes and scheduled to hold from July 26 and August 11, while over N3 billion was earmarked for the Paralympics focus on physically challenged athletes and slated from August 28 to September 8.
He said the approval was a demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the development of sports in the country and his resolve to showcase Nigeria’s talents at international events.
”We have a budget of over N12 billion which has been approved by the federal government.
”The budget is divided into two parts; N9 billion for the Olympics, while over N3 billion is for the Paralympics.
”There are various provisions for the athletes and their welfare in the budget.
“What the president did was to approve our entire budget that was submitted for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which is a further demonstration of his commitment to the development of sports in the country,” Enoh said.
The minister noted that there was no better time than now to surpass Nigeria’s record at previous Olympics, particularly the 1996 Games where Nigeria won two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
“My vision for the Paris Olympics is to surpass our performance in Atlanta 1996 and there was no better time to do so than now.”
Enoh also revealed that athletes’ allowances for the local camping have been paid to them and they will receive their foreign camping allowance before departing their camp based in Saarbrucken, Germany, for Paris.
“Our athletes have received local caming allowance and iI have given the order that before they leave Germany for Paris, their foreign camping allowances must be paid to them,” Enoh said.
The Team Nigeria’s contingent for the Paris Games have been sweating it out in the German city for about 11 days and will complete the two-week training tour before jetting out to Paris for the Games, kicking off on Friday, July 26.
