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By Joe Apu
Determined to see an end to the crisis rocking the Nigeria Basketball Federation, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development have constituted a seven man reconciliatory committee.
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary Ismaila Abubakar, the Ministry gave the terms of reference of the committee as looking into the claims of the contending parties for the leadership of the basketball federation and reviewing any other matter or areas of conflict.
Apart from amicably resolving the disagreements and disaffections within the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), they are also to reposition the game for development in Nigeria.
The reconciliatory committee is headed Mr. Seyilayo Ojo as chairman, Alhaji Abba Abdullahi Yola (vice chairman) Babs Ogunade (member), Mukhtar Khaleeh (member) Niyi Alebiosu (member), Ikeddy Isiguzo (member) and Dr (Mrs) Toyin Aluko(Secretary).
Meanwhile, President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Musa Ahmadu Kida has promised to pay the protesting D’Tigress players all he owes them as soon as the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports pays his outstanding debts owed him.
Kida while responding to questions at the House Committee on Sports in Abuja recently noted that he had a meeting with the girls where he told them of his constraints.
“I know I owe you bonuses and allowances but if I have to give you the money, something else have to give way and as I speak with you the Sports Ministry has not refunded us up to half the money we have spent since 2017. I understand what these bonuses are because it is a way of motivating the players and these would be paid as soon as the refunds are made.”
Kida also raised the issue of poor funding as a major obstacle to the development of basketball in Nigeria, a case which the chairman of the House Committee on Sports Olumide Osoba admits pointing out the bottle neck is traced the dissolution of the National Sports Commission which in his opinion needs to be brought back.
