Amusan’s feat: Ngerem wants better welfare package for Nigerian athletes

By George Aluo

Former president of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Dan Ngerem has called for a better welfare package for Nigerian athletes.

Ngerem while celebrating the golden feat of Tobi Amusan at the just concluded World Athletics Championship in Oregon, USA said that is the only way the country would not wait for another two decades or more to produce another Amusan.

Ngerem who spoke on Channels News @ 10 yesterday said poor planning informed why the country had to wait for 25 years to see another Chioma Ajunwa in Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume who are today world beaters.

“My appeal is that the incumbent sports minister Sunday Dare should put in place policies that would see us consolidating on the gains of Amusan’s feat. We need to prioritize the welfare of athletes so that we don’t wait another 25 years to see this happen. If we had a good policy in place we would not have lost the likes of Obikwelu and Gloria Alozie to other countries,” Ngerem said.

It would be noted that Nigeria finished 13th on the overall medal placement, and third best placed country from Africa at the World Athletics Championship.

Team Nigeria picked up a valuable Gold in the 100m Hurdles even, with winner Tobi Amusan smashing the World Record in the process.

Also Olympic Bronze medallist, Ese Brume picked up a silver medal in the Long Jump event, improving on her Bronze at the last Olympics and last World Athletics Championship in Doha.

For the African representatives, Nigeria finished in the top three, behind Kenya and Ethiopia with Uganda finishing in fourth place.