Joel Ajayi
Stakeholders have urged National Sports Commission ,NSC, for the return of para-soccer to the National Sports Festival ,NSF.
The stakeholders yesterday in Abuja, expressed disappointment over the sport’s absence from the ongoing NSF in Ogun.
They are seeking collaborative efforts to promote inclusion and achieve the Renewed Hope Agenda’s goals.
They believe that including para-soccer in the NSF will uplift Persons With Disabilities and provide them with opportunities for empowerment.
Musibau Didi, the former Special Adviser to the President on Disabilities, appealed to the NSC to return para soccer to the National Sports Festival ,NSF.
In spite previously included in the NSF as a demonstration and medal-scoring event, para-soccer was removed without explanation.
“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by ensuring that para-soccer was included in the next NSF”, he said.
On his part, Mohammed Isa, Senior Special Assistant on Disability Matters, emphasised President Tinubu’s commitment to enhancing sports activities for Persons With Disabilities, PWDs.
“Including para-soccer in the NSF will uplift persons with disabilities and provide them with opportunities for empowerment”, he said.
“Persons with disabilities have become an integral part of Nigeria’s political landscape and they deserve recognition.
“I urged the NSC to incorporate para-soccer into national sports activities”, he said.
Isa called for collaborative efforts to achieve the Renewed Hope Agenda’s goals, emphasising the need for collective responsibility to make a difference for persons with disabilities.
Mustapha Aji, coach of the Governors Forum team, said that removal of para soccer which was previously part of NSF, was detrimental to the community.
