The nation’s male
number one ranked table tennis player Segun Toriola, has called on the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF)   to embrace maintenance culture towards the renovated Knock-Up Hall.
Toriola told newsmen in Lagos that the current state of the hall at the National stadium was the best in Africa and must be protected from being damaged by users.
He stressed that the hall should be strictly used for national and international competitions only.
“The hall is set by every standard as a foreign-based player and with my experience I will confidently say that NTTF now has the best table tennis hall in Africa.
“That notwithstanding, I am particular about the maintenance of the entire hall, especially the updated facilities used in equipping the place to prepare athletes for competitions.
“ We can only achieve progress in that direction by applying a laid down principle of allowing players and coaches on major competitions to have access to the hall.’’
Toriola, who is participating in the ongoing International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) GAC Group 2014, tagged “Nigeria Open Challenge’’ in Lagos appealed to users not to undermine the good work.
According to him, the maintenance of the facilities by those who are privileged to have access to the hall will encourage the board to do more.
“I believe this is the beginning, more is coming.
“However, this is subject to the support the board gets from the users because they cannot be working to create comfort and somebody out there is frustrating their effort,’’.
Toriola, who plies his trade with Bayard-Argenean Club of Paris, France, lauded the Wahid Enitan-Oshodi led NTTF board for “the remarkable strides taken to boost the profile of the sport”.