President of the Track and Field Coaches Association of Nigeria, Godwin Ogogo, has called on the new Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, to summon a stakeholders meeting on the challenges facing athletics in the country.

He said this while reacting to the complaints by athletes that they were subjected to lack of adequate welfare.

While proffering a solution to the challenges facing athletes and coaches, he said, “We should stop deceiving ourselves, there are serious challenges in Nigerian athletics. We have to critically look at how to resolve the challenges facing athletes and coaches.

“It is worst that as big as the ministry is, we don’t have coaching staff. Is the sports ministry meant for other things that coaches concerns are not included? How many sports’ councils in the states have coaching staff? In the federation, we do not have a representation.

“For us to move forward, the first thing the new minister must consider is to sit everyone down to hear our concerns if he wants to succeed.

“Why is it that almost every time that we go to competitions, athletes are always protesting? Are we the only country in this world that has star athletes? Our athletes are trying; nobody should blame anybody for not doing well. They should blame the people who are in-charge.”