PGAN Rues Portuguese Visa Setback

PGAN Rues Portuguese Visa Setback

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria ( PGAN) has described as a huge set back its failure to participate in the Confederation of Professional Golf (CPG), formally PGA of Europe, Annual Congress in Portugal, because of its denial of a visa by the Portuguese Embassy in Lagos.

The congress which was due from December 2-5 would have enabled PGAN to deepen professional golf in Nigeria by interacting and exchanging ideas with other developed PGAs in the world.

PGAN Secretary, Jide Bolaji, said they received invitation as a member country of CPG to attend the congress. Nigeria has been a member of CPG since 2018. The CPG consists of 32 European countries. Canada, South Africa, Nigeria and Botswana are the other members.

Bolaji lamented that despite submitting all the required papers to the Portuguese Embassy through the VFS Portugal Section in Lagos, they were denied CPG visas on the ground that the document indicating purpose of the visit was not reliable.

“We have been made to miss out on the discussions and deliberations that ensued at the Conference. We feel really pained, particularly at this time of globalisation, when our PGA is making every necessary effort not to be left behind in the global world of golf. When we contacted CPG via WhatsApp, they expressed deep regret and explained that it was beyond their control,” Bolaji said.
He said PGAN was a sport organisation trying to relate with other international bodies towards developing golf.

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