FCT PARA-ATHLETICS CELEBRATES ABILITY, ENROLS 100 ATHLETES IN HEALTH SCHEME
By: Gyang Dakwo and Sylvia Zobada
Para-sports has been recognised as a strong tool changing lives and inspiring hope among persons with disabilities, showing that they can contribute meaningfully to society and live fulfilling lives.
This message came to light during the FCT Para-Athletics Competition organised by the FCT Para-Sports Association at the Area 10 Sports Complex, Abuja.
Athletes from across the FCT, including those from the FCT School for Children with Special Needs, Kuje, competed in wheelchair race, walk race, shot put, javelin, and discus..
The games were keenly contested, with every finish line and throw met with excitement as participants showcased determination, courage, teamwork, and skill.
In her keynote address, the Acting Director of the FCT Health Insurance Scheme, Dr Salamatu Belgore, praised the organisers for their dedication to promoting inclusion and excellence through sports.
She said the event was not only about the competition but also about the cause, the rules, and the celebration of ability in every form.
“Because we all know that there is ability in every disability. Each athlete here reminds us that true strength lies in determination and the will to overcome challenges,” she said.
Dr Belgore also pledged the agency’s continued support for initiatives that promote inclusion, health, and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon Abah Isa Mohammed, said the President has a strong interest in the welfare of persons with disabilities. He noted that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, their interests are being protected and more opportunities are being created for them.
He added that the President plans to recognise and honour para athletes for their excellent performances in international competitions.
“One hundred percent Mr President is behind you and just recently he assured those that won Medals from France, in Para-Power Lifting and those women, too Mr President wants to honour them” He revealed.
In an interview with Abuja Digest during the games, the Secretary of the FCT Para-Sports Association, Ketura Nkom, said the association, with support from the FCT Sports Department, is using sports as a form of both physical and mental therapy. She explained that this approach provides a platform for athletes with disabilities to realise their full potential.
Nkom added that sports help them in skill development, teamwork, and social interaction.
“Physical and mental limitations that impact people with disabilities, along with social factors such as stigmatization, discrimination, and cultural beliefs, further create psychosocial challenges for them,” she said. “Sports therefore plays a key role in the lives of people with disabilities just as it does for those without disabilities.”
She expressed appreciation to the FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, for his commitment to sports development, and also commended the FCT Para-Sports Association, the FCT Sports Department, for their commitment to the success of the event. She equally thanked corporate partners whose contributions helped make the competition possible.
Nkom called on more Nigerians to support efforts to bring joy to the less privileged and to keep persons with disabilities off the streets through sports.
The one-day event ended on a celebratory note with the presentation of prizes to winners and the enrolment of 100 para athletes into the FCT Health Insurance Scheme.
