… may boycott Sports Festival in Nov
* No comment – KWSG
The Kwara State para-sports athletes have vowed to embark on peaceful protest this week to express their grievance over neglect by the state government.
One of the athletes who craved anonymity alleged that the state government neglect despite their peculiar condition.
“We are disappointed with the way and manners by which the Kwara State government is treating us. Only eight out of 40 of us were given employment.
“If you asked me how much they are being given? Eight thousand naira only (N8,000) monthly stipend since 2011, what can we use that kind of money to buy, he asked.
“This money we are even talking about doesn’t even go round because we are over 40 and only six out of 40 couldn’t even get better money”.
“Kwara won only one gold medal in the last National Sports Festival and this medal was won by one of us who is planning to play for another state in the forthcoming festival in Abuja because we are not recognised here”.
“We are peace loving people and we have written the state government, through the Sports Council, Ministry of Sports and office of Chief of Staff but it has not yielded positive results”.
In a chat with one of Sports Council Coaches, who also didn’t want to disclose his identity, he said, “There is nothing the council can about this problem because thereโs limited resources. They only thing I can do is to appeal to them to be patient and I believe things will change in no time”.
The special athletes also revealed that apart from employment problem, they are also facing facilities problem like inadequate wheelchairs table and other equipments, which could make them to boycott Abuja festival.
This medium put a call through to Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Ayo Samuel to react on the issue but he said he couldn’t speak on the matter.
