Para Games: National Assembly Pledges Adequate Budgetary Provision for PLWDs 

* Lawmaker gifts N2.4m palliatives to 12 Law School students 

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The leadership of the National Assembly has pledged to make adequate provision in the 2024 budget for people living with disabilities (PLWDs) in the areas of sports.

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Sumaila Kawu, made the pledge when they received members of the Federal Capital Territory para-soccer team.

The National Para Soccer Game was held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, and the Abuja team came second.

Addressing the athletes at the National Assembly premises, Ndume, who is the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, said special funds would be allocated to para sports to encourage them

He said: “The National Assembly will join hands to ensure that there is adequate provision of funds for the people living with disabilities in the 2024 budget. 

“We will also expose them to international competitions just as some of our footballers are making waves in the international arena.

“Recently, the people living with disabilities in the Nigerian Army recently went for a competition in Germany and came back with gold medals.

“As you are all aware, there was a recent National Para Games in FCT, in which Kano took the gold; Lagos took the bronze, while the FCT took the silver medal.

“They (athletes) came to my house and I told them to come to the National Assembly.

“These are people living with disabilities who need to be given publicity because they are doing a lot of great things despite their challenges.

“They have shown that living with disabilities is not the end of the world. If you’re able to live with the disabilities; it’s not the end of the world.

“Most of them are married, some of them have businesses and I stood as guarantor to many of them to secure some grants to fund their businesses. 

“I have a couple of shoes made by some of them. They are actively engaged instead of begging about the whole place.”

Meanwhile, a member of the National Assembly, representing the Obanliku/Bekwarra/Obudu Federal Constituency, Hon. Peter Akpanke, has donated N200,000 each to 12 of his constituents who are in the various law schools across the country.

This is contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Students Affairs, Mr. Akobi Nelson, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

The statement explained that Akpanke, while presenting the money to the beneficiaries charged them to be worthy ambassadors of the constituency.

The federal lawmaker said the gesture was part of his promise during his campaign to contribute to the growth and development of education in the area.

He also noted that the financial assistance was without political or ethnic affiliations.

He said it was to assist them cushion the effects of hardship occasioned by the removal of the petroleum subsidy in the country.

Akpanke said: “We cherish education and one of the ways through which we can impact our society is to give unfettered access to education and assist our students”

He charged them to be exceptional ambassadors not only of the legal profession but also of their federal constituency.

He also urged them to use their legal knowledge and prospective expertise to positively impact their respective communities, in a bid to promote justice and equity in the society.