The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Akin Dare, has lauded the Power lifting athletes for their numerous laurels in both continental and intercontinental games, which he described as, ability in disability and assured them of the Ministry’s readiness to give the team adequate support for the forthcoming Paralympics Games, in Tokyo, in 2020.
The Minister said this when the President, Mrs. Queen Moses Idris and some athletes of the Power Lifting Federation, paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office recently.
Mr. Dare said that he had been following their exploits to date and was happy with their outstanding performance which had given the country, additional marks in global sports”.
The Minister also stated, that the Ministry was committed to sports development in the country and is always ready to invest more in Paralympics, just as it invests in the able-bodied sports. On that note, he promised to present the Power-lifting Team along with the Tigress and African Games Champions to the President for the reception.
Furthermore, Mr. Dare stated that, early camping was critical for a successful outing at the 2020 Paralympics Games in Tokyo and promised that the Ministry would ensure two months of intensive camping before the Game commences.
The President of the Power lifting Federation, Mrs. Queen Moses Idris, welcomed the Honourable Minister on his appointment into the Federal Executive Cabinet, adding that it was a timely appointment because of the hosting rights, given to the Federation for 2020, 2021 and 2022 Para Power lifting World Cup, by the International Power lifting Committee IPC.
By this gesture, Mrs. Queen asserted that Nigeria would not attend most Olympics and Commonwealth Qualifiers. The Championship according to her would attract about 40 Countries and 1000 lifters from across the World.
Speaking further, she said Nigerian Power-lifting, since her assumption as the President, had been outstanding both in continental and intercontinental levels. She informed him that the trophy they presented was won by the Female Power lifters as the 1st and 2nd best in the world, which had earned the country the International Para Power lifting World Cup hosting right Tagged “Abuja2020”. She also disclosed that 14 Para Power lifters have qualified for the Paralympics Games that will be coming up in Tokyo 2020.
Chioma Ulor
For: Director, Press
FMYSD
