Dalung Inaugurates Para Sports Federations

By Ibrahim Taiwo , The Nigerian Voice Sports

Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung has inaugurated the boards of seven Nigerian National Para Sports Federations at the VIP Lounge of the National Stadium Abuja.

The Para Federations are Amputee Football, Para-Athletics, Para Powerlifting, Para Soccer, Para-Swimming, Sitting Volleyball and Wheelchair Basketball.

TheMinister of Youth and Sports commended the Electoral Committee for playing a major role in the conduct of the elections held on February 15, 2018.

He congratulated the newly elected board members and charged them to work with Athletes to take Para Sports to the next level

“I wish to congratulate you on the successful conduct of your election as board members of the seven National Para Sports Federations. Your board member has a tenure of four years and I am appealing to you to have the best interest of your federations at heart.

“The athletes deserve the best under your leadership. I want to appeal to the leaders of these Para sports federations to show love and compassion to your athletes. Those who want to lead must be selfless”.

The minister urged them to be hardworking and diligent as some of them will soon be elected into international federations while praising the athletes for their successes in various sports.

“I am optimistic that very soon, some of you will occupy great positions in International bodies. Para Sports is a source of National pride and they have also established unbeatable African records in the last Olympic Games in Rio. Let me congratulate you as worthy ambassadors of Nigerian sports.”

Dalung said para-sports has enjoyed great support from the private sector citing the renovation of the Powerlifting Gymnasium in Lagos by WAMCO, makers of Peak milk.

“With more support and investment by the private sector, Para sports will dominate the globe.”

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Adesola Olusade praised the congresses of Para-Sports for holding elections without a single appeal on the outcome. He urged them to be of good behavior while assuring the board members of the Ministry’s continued support to achieve success in their future endeavors.

“The Ministry of Youth and Sports will encourage you to get to enviable heights as we will soon organize elections into the Paralympics Committee of Nigeria.

“It is important to urge you not to see your appointment as an opportunity to promote personal interest. Resist the urge to promote selfish and parochial interest. Strive to promote inclusion. Respect the rules and regulations guiding participation in sports and stay clear of the use of banned and performance-enhancing substances”, Olusade concluded