It was in the news this morning that Ogun State Government will be sending a 20-man delegation headed by Commissioner for education in the State, Barrister Segun Odubela to the Olympics.
At this junction it is important to state that the Federal Government itself has cut down the number of delegates due to the low number of athletes participating. Nigerian athletes participating in the olympics are less than 60, why would a state send 20 people? We are still trying to figure out the stake of Ogun govt is in the Olympics as to warrant sending that number of delegates when there are more pressing issues that State fund could be used for.
In another development it also filtered that same Ogun Government has listed over 250 candidates for Hajj pilgrimage this year as well. Sending People on Pilgrimage every year is a practice synonymous with many states of the Federation which we have nothing against. However, if all the states of the Federation send that number of people on Pilgrimage every year, the total amount to be spent on pilgrimage year will be outrageous considering that Nigeria is listed as one of the world poorest countries.
We are informed that the total amount Ogun State will spending on the delegates to the Olympics, and Pilgrims to Mecca is around N500,000,000.
Nigerians should speak out and condemn the wastage of tax payers money in any form as the way our Leaders spend money these days is becoming very alarming.