It was naira rain for the Team Nigeria at the recently concluded London Paralympics games and members of the U-20 female national team, the Falconets, as the federal government in appreciation of their efforts rewarded them with cash rewards.
Each of the six paralympians that won gold medal at the London games were rewarded with the sum of five million Naira each. They are also to receive national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) during tomorrow’s conferment of the honours that will hold in Abuja.
Speaking at the event that held at the banquet hall of the Aso Villa, Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan remarked that physical challenge is not a barrier to achieving set goals.
President Jonathan said that the performance of Team Nigeria in the London Olympics that held earlier was ‘a huge disappointment’, and challenged those responsible to brace up in order to post better performance in future. Besides the gold medallists at the Paralympics, the silver medallists were rewarded with the sum of three million each, while the bronze medallists got two million each.
Other paralympians who failed to win any medal were rewarded with the sum of five hundred thousand Naira each.
The coaches of the paralympians who accompanied them to the London event each received the sum of N2.5 million.
For the Falconets that finished fourth in the 2012 u-20 world cup that held in Japan, they were commended for their sterling performance and team spirit. Each of them was rewarded with the sum of 1 million. Their coaches were not left out as each of them pocketed the sum of N1.2 million.