The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), yesterday rewarded the 37 athletes who won medals for the territory at the 20th edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) which was held April 2-14 in Benin City, Edo State.
FCT finished 16th on the medal table with 6 gold, 15 silver and 16 bronze medals.
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At the 12th FCT sports award night which took place at the Cyprian Ekwensi Center for Arts and Culture, Abuja, each gold medallist was rewarded with N400,000, silver medalists got N250,000 while bronze medalists smiled home with N150,000.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr Olusade Adesola, who represented the FCT minister of state, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu said the government was instrumental to the athlete’s success.
“It is their career. We are only encouraging them. We count them as government responsibilities. We camped the athletes, transported them and rewarded them at government expenses.
“The administration provided an enabling environment which added up to them winning medals.
“What we should look forward to is to build on what they have achieved so that they can do even better in future,” he said.
In his remarks, the Sports minister, Sunday Dare who was the Guest of Honour commended state governments and the FCT administration for celebrating their athletes.
“I am proud to identify with the athletes here several months after the Edo 2020. I see states still celebrating and rewarding the athletes. We see Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Plateau celebrating their athletes. That’s the regime we want where governors will be celebrating their athletes.
“The future of our sports development is in the hands of these young ones,” he said.
Delta State will host the next edition of the National Sports Festival in 2022.
