The National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) has commenced the distribution of N574m worth of sports equipment procured by the fund to the selected 2,000 public primary schools nation-wide.

Flagging off the distribution yesterday at the Government Science Primary School, Abuja School for the Deaf and Dumb, Abuja School for the Handicapped in Kuje and the LEA Primary School, Gwagwa, all in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the executive secretary of the NLTF, Alhaji Habu Gumel, said the proceeds realised by the agency would be put to good use to benefit Nigerians, particularly in sports.

“We have put in place a robust and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system to help the NLTF track the progress of its intervention programmes and, particularly, the utilisation of these sports equipment. This is to ensure that the goals of our projects are met and the benefits continue to accrue to Nigerians.

“From time to time, our monitoring team will visit you for evaluation based on the equipment donated to you. You must make ensure that the materials are not diverted for personal use or find their way into market. These are public properties and our logos are on them,” Gumel said.

The equipment distributed to the beneficiary schools yesterday ranged from footballs, goal posts, basketball hoops, balls, cones, table tennis boards, among others.

The head teachers of the beneficiary schools commended the NLTF for the donation and assured the agency of their willingness to make judicious use of the equipment.

“We are happy to receive all these equipment from the NLTF and we promise to make good use of the materials. We are going to improve on our sporting activities, based on the equipment we have received and, by the grace of God, we will perform credibly,” said the head-teacher of the GSPS, Kuje, Plhilip Bitrus.

The headmaster of the Abuja School for the Deaf and Dumb, Onoja John Edache, applauded the management of the NLTF for its good-will in promoting sport development at the grassroots and promised to make good of the equipment for the benefit of the children.