Ado-Ekiti – Peter Ojo, a Para-athletics Coach, Ojo Peter on Thursday urged the Federal and state governments and corporate bodies in the country to empower the physically challenged athletes.
Peter told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti, against the backdrop of the International Day for the Disabled, that most physically challenged athletes were not well taken care of by sports administrators.
“These physically challenged athletes are not properly taken care of by governments at federal and state levels; instead, the sports administrators leave them out to fend for themselves.
“In Ekiti State, most them do not have a decent accommodations and are hampered by the existing unfavourable mode of transportation to stadiums and back.
“Apart from that, some of them sleep at the stadiums, which ought not to be. I believe they deserve to be treated as fairly as their able bodied counterparts.
“It is necessary to note that the physically challenged are as intelligent, hardworking and can contribute toward the development of the society, just like the able bodied.
“I appeal to the federal, state and the well-to-do Nigerians, who love people with disability to empower them’’,
Ojo, however, called on non-governmental organisations to establish foundations to take care of the physically challenged athletes.
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He said the foundation should be able to organise skills acquisition programmes in computer appreciation, bead-making, wire works, Shoe-making, bag-making as well as soap making.
“Persons with disabilities require more of empathy rather than sympathy.
“One of the major ways of letting them know that they are part of the society will be to provide them with lifelong opportunities to become self-dependent,’’ he added. (NAN)