Chairman Wazobia FC Aregbesola Laments High Transportation Costs and Impact of Nationwide Protests
Aregbesola Akeem , the Chairman of the Nationwide League One side, Wazobia Football Club of Abuja,
acknowledged that the nationwide protests had a significant impact on both his clubs and sports in general throughout the nation.
Aregbesola decried the impact of the just concluded protest on sporting activities nationwide that there was no gasoline , transportation was on a higher side.
He emphasized that on security reasons ,that his club occasionally charters cars to get to match locations rather than utilizing its own private car.
He said it was difficult to coordinate his team as everything was lockdown during the period of the protest.
“To start with, before the protest there was no gasoline known as fuel . The reason I mentioned “no fuel ” was that, two or three years ago, we could easily buy gasoline from any gas station .
“But now, gas station are afraid to even opened or sell fuel for us to utilize it to travel for our numerous matches in different locations not only my club’s but others clubs too are affected”
The Chairman added that the period of the protest had also affected some friendly matches that could have served as an avenue to build up the club before engaging in full competitions.Even now we cannot do that because transportation is on the very high side.
According to him, the club used to spend up to N70,000 to rent a cars to and fro to avoid missing matches during the league.
“ However, now we are spending up to N170,000 for just a match trip to rent a cars to and fro to avoid missing matches and we usually travel more than 10 to 12 times depending on the match locations the cost is really exorbitant.
“The cost is really exorbitant, when the league kickoff we still need to travel from our base to scheduled match locations,” he said.
Aregbesola stated that his team use to train three times a week,from Wednesday to Friday in both Gwagwalada axis and Lugbe along Airport Road Berger in Abuja.
He continued by saying that his team typically trains with the All Stars squad on Saturday and Sunday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
However, at this point, not even the All Stars squad is able to leave their homes to train since they are all too terrified to do so.
He said that his team consists of 23 players . I have urged all of my players to relocate to their parents’ home for safety because we are currently afraid to keep those players in the camped in; this is due to the ongoing protests.
Although, there is high rising in costs of goods and services. We make sure that the boys have a well-balanced diet, we make sure that they never lack in training,” he stated.
