Minister lauds Abuja 2004 LOC

Nigeria's minister of sports and social development Col. Musa Mohammed [rtd] has given kudos to the Local Organising Committee [LOC] of the 14th National Sports Festival in Abuja ,the country's capital for a job well done.

The sports minister described the performance of the Deji Omotade-led organising committee as impressive while concedoing that there are some areas in which the organisers can still make ammends. Mohammed made the commendation Thursday during a media briefing with journalists covering the biennial festival.His remark however comes barely 48 hours to the end of the 14-day sporting fiesta.

Said the minister:"I think the sports ministry is quite satisfied with the way the organisers of this festival have performed, they've actually done a good job.But I can say there are areas in which they can improve. "One thing we should all understand is that nobody is perfect.There night have been some inadequacies,but I am of the opinion that the organisers have done a tremenduous job".

Speaking on logistical and financial problems that has been the lot of the festival, Mohammed absolved both the sports ministry and the organisers of the festival of any blame for the hiccups experienced in making facilities functional, while apologising to journalists on their inability to put into use equipment at the media centre of the stadium.

"The issue of control and mantenance of the stadium has been a burning issue .The ministry had to fight for the control of the stadium.It was previously shot up ,there was no light because Julius Berger decided to withdraw its services.Berger claimed there was no contract for it to maintain the place,"he explained.

Facilities at the Abuja stadium, nigeriasports.com gathered, was not handed over to the sports authorities until a day to the sports festival due to the intervention of President Olusegun Obasanjo.