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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Organisers of the 7th National Youth Games (NYG) on Saturday gave the assurance that the issue of inadequate accommodation for athletes and officials was being addressed.
The games officially kicked-off at the main bowl of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.
Addressing journalists, chairman of the media sub-committee for the games, Mr. Moses Etu, said new arrangements were in place for accommodation as the schools that initially planned for it were no longer available following the resumption of academic session.
Etu hinted that the two weeks postponement of the National Sports Festival affected the earlier accommodation arrangement to hold the events during school vacation.
“Actually if you have been monitoring our preparations, you discover that we were ready, that was about two or three weeks ago, and that time, the children were on holiday and every arrangement regarding hostel accommodation were fully ready.
“But when schools resumed, we found it difficult like the Technical College, Dennis Osadebey University that had earlier given us their hostels, but they now resumed, and they had started their exams.
“What do we do, and we cannot close the schools just because we want to have the youth games. In fact, the children that are participating, it became a thug of war but we have resolved that now,” he lamented.
He said apart from providing accommodation for the athletes and officials from different states, new mattresses, and pillows with bed sheets were also given to them to make them comfortable.
Etu said adequate security had been put in place for the safety of the athletes and officials at games venues, hostels, and during their movements within and out the Stephen Keshi Stadium.
