The Federal Government will invest more in para-sports to ensure their athletes continue to make Nigeria proud, the Youths and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, assured on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Minister made the promise while inaugurating the seven new boards of the National Para-Sports Federations, whose members were elected on Feb. 15 at the Abuja National Stadium.
“Government will continue to invest in para-sports. This is because if para-sports will only remain the sports that will continue to make Nigeria proud, then it is worthy for Nigeria to invest in them.
“I believe that with more investment in para- sports from government and other investors, we will dominate global para- sports as a leading nation,’’ Dalung said.
He added that Nigeria has the potential to excel in para-sports, saying “we have the human resources. We have the natural resources. So, we have no reason not to dominate the world’’..
Dalung then appealed to Presidents of the para-sports federations to be visionary leaders and show love and compassion to the athletes.
“Let me appeal to the leaders, that all that the para-athletes require are love and compassion.
“Your ability to lead them well will be guided by your love for them and their sports,’’ he said.
The Minister recalled that para-sports have always been a source of pride to Nigeria over the years, saying they saved the country’s face in 2012 at London.
“When Nigeria did not win any medal at the Olympics, Nigerian Paralympians made the country proud at the Paralympics by winning medals.
“Nigerian Paralympians also repeated the same feat in Rio in 2016 by making Nigeria proud and proceeding to establish an unbeatable African record.
“Today, Nigeria’s map has consistently remained within the community of sports nations because of the performance in para-sports,” he said.
Dalung then commended the para-sports electoral committee for conducting free and fair elections.
Earlier, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, had said the Congresses of Para-Sports Federations have demonstrated a remarkable record in the conduct of free and fair elections.
He said they did a remarkable thing by going through elections where there was no single appeal on the outcome of the elections.
“I sincerely believe that the federations of the able-bodied sports and indeed the political class in the larger Nigerian society have much lesson to learn from the para-sports congresses.
Adesola urged the elected board members to place the interest of the athletes above all other interests.
He also urged the board members to strive to promote inclusion by ensuring that the boards meet at least quarterly to review activities.
Responding on behalf of the Federation Presidents, Godfrey Ogu, who is President of Para-Athletics, promised that the para-sports would continue to make the country proud.(NAN)
