NAN

Oladeji Adeoye, President of Nigeria Shooting Federation (NSF), on Thursday, January 18, in Abuja said the Federation was in need of about N10 million to host a world shooting sport programme.

Adeoye, a retired brigadier-general in the Nigerian Army, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the financial support was needed from governments and corporate individuals.

Adequate funding, he said, was need by the Federation host a successful event during the competition scheduled to begin on Sunday, January 21, ending on January 26 in Abuja.

“The NSF will host the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Grade D Coaching Course in Pistol and Rifle in a week-long event.

“The programme is coming up in less than five days and the Federation is yet to get the required funds for logistics and hospitality of participants and resource persons,” he retired military man said.

“We need to provide certain things that will make the course worthwhile for participants, and that will give us the opportunity to make the country the hub of the shooting sport on the continent.

“We are contesting this honour with Egypt and South Africa, as well as having the ISSF Academy for the sub-region to be built in our country.

“So, a successful hosting of this course will make it easier for us.

“But the point must be made that the country needs to invest in the sport, so that it can earn revenue from it. This course is one of such opportunities to earn revenue,” the Federation president said.

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Adeoye explained that the need for such an amount was based on the number of participants expected at the course, saying that only a meagre amount had been realised from prospective participants.

“As at Wednesday, only one self-sponsored participant has paid the fee of N183,000 required for the programme, while others are expected to make their payment latest Thursday.

“We need to pay for the venue, accommodation for participants and other logistics ahead of time.

“Our hosting should be moderately impressive so that we can use that to secure the right to host other events. So, let us consider the event as a national pride,” he said.

Adeoye appealed to the sport’s major stakeholders – the Armed Forces, para-military and state governments – to finance their coaches’ participation in the course.

He said this would help them save the cost of getting certification abroad.

“It is a golden opportunity for Nigerian shooting sport coaches to get such an international competition at cheaper cost at home.

“Ordinarily, it costs like N1.3 million outside the country to attend courses, but it is just N183,000 locally. Imagine what will be saved by individuals and clubs to train such coaches,” Adeoye said.

The coaching course will be the first ISSF event to be hosted by the country, NAN reports.