ABUJA – The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) to support the federation ahead of qualifiers for the 2015 AfroBasket Championships for both Men and Women.
Tijani Umar, President of the federation, made the appeal on Monday during the opening ceremony of the National Men’s Division Two Basketball Championship holding at the Abuja National Stadium.
Umar said the federation needed financial support in order to call players to camp ahead of the qualifiers for the continental championships.
“We are having the qualifiers for the AfroBasket Championships for both men and women, coming up in December at Burkina Faso. The championships are also the qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
“Therefore, we are requesting that the NSC should please assist the federation in order to get funds available to start the national camping as soon as possible.
“We are supposed to have started camping but financial constraint is our greatest challenge now,’’ Umar said.
Responding to his request, NSC’s Director of Federations and Elite Athletes Development (FEAD), Bolaji Ojo-Oba, who was a guest at the ceremony, said the commission would support the federation.
“My presence here is a demonstration of our support to the federation and, at our level, we will try as much as possible to support and encourage this (NBBF) leadership.
“I have taken note of what you have said and I will report to my principals. But I can assure you, on behalf of the commission, that we are behind you.
“We will not leave you to fight alone and I also do not want you to entertain any fears,’’ Ojo-Oba said.
The 2015 AfroBasket Championships for Men and Women will hold in Tunisia and Cameroon respectively.(NAN)