BY: AHMED HAMISU GWALE, ABUJA
The Kano State Athletics team in the National Para Games 2023 in Abuja, won 18 Gold medals, 12 Silver and 17 Bronze, which made them 47 medals in total at the tournament.
Recalled that the tournament was organised by the Federal Ministry of Sport Development, scheduled from 8 to 14 December at the Moshood Abioloa National Stadium, Abuja.
Kano State competed in 12 out of 15 games held in the competition, which includes Para Soccer, Amputee Football, Para Tablet-Tennis, Shooting, Para Weight Lifting, Para Taekwondo, Para Canoeing, Sitting Volleyball and Para Swimming.
READ ALSO: National Para Games 2023: Kano Team, Press Crew Yet to Receive Allowances as File Reportedly Missing
The Kano State emerged in third position in the recent Games, while Bayelsa State emerged as Champions of the games, winning 30 gold, 24 silver and 29 bronze with 74 medals in total.
Also, the Abia State team became the second with 35 Medals, including 16 Gold, 8 Silver and 11 Bronze.
In his remarks at the closing ceremony of 2nd Edition National Para Games 2023, Minister of Sport Development Senator John Owan Enoh lauded the remarkable performance of the talented players.
Many players from different states who participated in the competition show their talent to win the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in the competition, including Kano athlete Ibrahim Abubakar, who won gold in the men’s 10-meter shot.
Also, Bilkisu Isyaku Ibrahim from the Kano State team, won the Gold Medal in the Women’s 10-Meter Shot, Gbengay Osinowo also won gold in the Para Table-Tennis.
The others from the Kano State team who won the Gold are Shafat Dauda, Seun Opawole, Ihueze Victoria, Musa Bala, Abdullahi Muhd, Ezurike Roland, Anouluwapo and Adeleke Abejoye Odunay.
The Kano team has faced a challenge due to the lack of funds in the competition, which has put the team entirely into uncertain situations.
Exclusively revealed that, based on the report, the officials of Kano State Sports Commission (KSSP) and helpers, coaches, and the Health Officers are all uncertain due to the lack of allowances.
READ ALSO: Niger Governor Dissolves All Commissioners, Heads of Boards, Parastatals
The journalists from different Organisations were in a difficult situation at that time, where no one from the officials of the sports commission or Kano state government gave them more information about the situation.
After the journalists intervened in the situation on Thursday, the day of the end of the competition, the Kano Government said the government would pay everyone their dues.
The Acting Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Malam Bala Sani Shehu, disclosed this in a discussion with the media on Thursday.
He said that the Kano team’s allowances will be paid by the Kano state government before Wednesday next week.
He said that so far, about nine million naira have been spent out of the thirty million allocated by the Kano government to the team for the cost of registration, food and fuelling and the stipend for journalists and other representatives.