By Hananeel Jackson

Bayelsa State Athletes who won medals at the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abuja last year have taken to the street to protest over unpaid rewards promised them by the State government months after returning from the Fiesta, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report authoritatively

 according to our correspondent, the protest which started from the Samson Siasia Stadium to the government house, Ovom saw the athletes carrying different placards with different inscriptions such as “You have done it before and you will do it again Sir”

“We Need Our Rewards Sir”

“Your Excellency, We wish to remind you of our much awaited rewards from the 2018 Abuja National Sports Festival,” amongst others.

Addressing the media on the development, the leader of the protest, Mr. Amas Daniel said the reason behind the protest was not to ridicule the government but know why the money had not been paid since they came back from Abuja last year.

Captains of the Bayelsa State Festival football team, Okolai Rapheal and Nelson Kemebo explained that several months after the promise, they are yet to receive the money.

Reacting to the development, Chief of Staff Government House, Mr.Talford Ongolo urged the athletes to be patient, stressing that they will receive their rewards soon.

On his part, commissioner for Sports Development, Mr Perekiye Buruboyefe assured the athletes that something positive would be done soon.

It could be recalled that the state government had pledged to reward the athletes one million naira for each gold medal, five hundred thousand naira(500, 000) for each Silver medal while each bronze medal was promised three hundred thousand naira (300, 000).

Team Bayelsa finished 5th at the National Sports Festival with a total of thirty-two gold, fifty-six silver and forty-nine bronze medal.