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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Nasarawa State’s teams were left in disappointment after their poor performance at the recent National Sports Festival held in Asaba, and the ongoing NPFL, NWFL in Nigeria.
Despite the dedication and commitment shown by the team, they failed to clinch a gold medal, failing to qualify for top six and the male football team fighting to stay in the NPFL after poor results from 17 mayches.
The reasons behind their lackluster performance have been attributed to the inadequate facilities and lack of training opportunities provided to the Teams.
The Lafia City Stadium, which houses several sporting facilities, was not utilized during the training phase, which could have led to the Teams not being adequately prepared for the tournament.
Some of the athletes expressed their disappointment, stating that they were not given the opportunity to train in states with modern facilities that would have provided them with the necessary preparation.
In addition, inadequate funding for the team’s preparation was not an issue, as 100% of the teams and coaches expressed satisfaction with the state government’s release of funds for the tournament.
Nevertheless, the lack of facilities proved to be a major setback especially for the athletes, and they are appealing to the state government to fix the stadium to avoid such woeful performances in the future.
According to Emmanuel peter who is a volleyball player said that he had to travel miles to train in other to keep fit. “I stay inside the town I have to go to the state polytechnic every evening costing me over 500 hundred naira a day to train with my colleagues.
“It something that is really affecting our games. I want the government to fix the stadium we are really not doing well, then our performance were top notch but today because of proper training we are underperforming. He said.
The athletes and coaches have stressed the need for the state government to prioritize the development of sports facilities, particularly as they prepare for the junior category of the National Sports Festival and other national sporting events in the country.
According to some of the states coaches who do not want their names on print stressed that the state’s sports sector has great potential, but without proper facilities and training, the athletes’ talent and hard work will not yield positive results.
They said the setback serves as a wake-up call for the government to take a more active role in sports development. “It is imperative that they invest in the necessary facilities and create opportunities for athletes to train in the best possible environments.”
“Sports development is not just about winning medals, but also about creating opportunities for the youth to engage in healthy activities and build their skills.”
According to some of the athletes who showed disappointment highlights the need for the government to prioritize sports development and invest in the necessary infrastructure to create an enabling environment for athletes to excel.
“With the right facilities and support, Nasarawa State can become a powerhouse in Nigerian sports.” They said.
Further investigations reveal that the poor performance of not only the Nasarawa State athletes but also the Nasarawa United football team and the Amazone female football team was due to the lack of proper facilities, particularly the non-usage of the Lafia Township Stadium.
Many fans and football stakeholders had expressed their feeling concerning the Lafia Township Stadium, which is the home ground for Nasarawa United and Amazone football clubs.
They are of the opinion that the unavailability of the stadium to be used during their matches caused the major problem of the performance of the team
“This left the teams with no option but to play their home games at different stadiums across the country. This significantly affected the teams’ performances, as they were not used to the new environments and lacked the home advantage that comes with playing in familiar surroundings.”
According to the former chairman, Nasarawa United Ibrahim Abdullahi Osanga who said the lack of proper facilities for training and practice sessions also affected the teams’ preparations.
He noted that “without access to modern training facilities and equipment, the players were not adequately prepared for the demands of high-level competition, resulting in subpar performances.”
When our correspondent visited the Lafia city stadium to see the level of work ongoing, some of the team players, athletes and their fans who were seen training outside the stadium expressed their disappointment at the situation, with many calling on the state government to invest in sports facilities and provide better support for athletes and teams.
Sun gathered that the Lafia Township Stadium is in dire need of renovation and upgrading, with many of its facilities in a state of disrepair.
The statement government had said on different platforms that the project of beautifying the stadium will be accomplished as contracts had been giving awaiting execution from the contractors.
According to the commisioner of Youth and Sports Development, Amb. Isaac Lucky Yargwa who told our correspondent that the project is almost done as the contractor had promised to complete it.
“I can assure you that the project will be completed and next season our teams will be playing at home. The delay of the project is not the fault of the government as the government had provided fund over 80 percent of it to the contractors.”
“All gray areas are now being discussed and the workers are back to work, that is why the governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule had visited, to see the nature of the work. I can assure you it will be completed . He added.
However, It is essential that the state government prioritizes sports development and invests in upgrading facilities to provide the necessary support for athletes and teams. With better facilities and support, Nasarawa State can produce top-quality athletes and teams that can compete at the highest level.
