National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko Friday welcomed a delegation of Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation (NDSF), led by its President Alhaji Dagbo Suleiman Saka and his members across the states, on a working visit. His message to them: “See this place (NSC) as your home”.
The meeting availed the Chairman the opportunity to know the challenges of the Federation in particular and Special Sports generally. While promising to resolve the Federation’s immediate needs, Mallam Dikko assured of the Commission’s support in upscaling the deaf sports and providing a veritable platform for those with special needs to express themselves.
His words, “I congratulate you for the efforts you have been making to do what you love and live your passion despite your challenges. It shows your determination and belief in yourself. With more collaboration, I think we can be able to leave a lot of shared prosperity and hope between us and everyone involved.
“We are here for sports generally. Sports is for everyone, men, women, people living with challenges. We are here for everyone. We are not showing preferences. We will definitely work to see that we resolve your immediate challenges as soon as possible.”
He highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s keen interest in people living with disabilities.
“The President is interested in giving everybody an opportunity. You know the President has an SA on disability matters or people living with challenges. That shows you how committed he is to the plight of people with disabilities, so we have to tag along. What we are doing with you here is actually a mandate from the President”, he said.
He pointed out that the NSC had been proactive and intentional to make provision in the budget for upscaling the para sports and providing the necessary equipments and kits to advance the sport.
“We are not just going to upscale the sport, we will set out to provide the needed platform for you to have that feel-good factor. We see it as a way to create jobs and help you earn a living”, he added.
The NSC helmsman congratulated the Federation for the efforts to participate in several international tournaments, winning medals and promoting Nigeria positively. He further tasked them to go beyond the national tournaments and hold developmental competitions across the states. In line with his injunction to all the Sports Federations, he told the NDSF to furnish him with details of their programs for the year.
In conclusion, he told the delegation to see the Commission as their home.
“I want you to know that my DG (Hon. Bukola Olopade) is one of the best supporters of para sports. In his private capacity he had done so much for para sports. In fact, he had actually contested to be President of the Para Federation. Imagine someone who had worked several years to support para sports now the DG of the Commission. So you can see this place as your home”, he concluded.
