Liberia’s Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Players Appeal to Boakai for Funding, Equipment Release

Published: October 30, 2026

PAYNESVILLE — Liberia’s women’s national wheelchair basketball players have appealed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for financial assistance and the immediate release of 24 sports wheelchairs reportedly held at a Liberia Revenue Authority warehouse at Roberts International Airport.

The Liberia National Wheelchair Basketball Federation said the equipment has been held for about three weeks, raising concerns about the country’s preparations for two international competitions scheduled for November.

The Liberia Investigator, however, learned that the federation needs a note verbale from the Ministry of Youth and Sports before the Liberia Revenue Authority releases the equipment.

In an appeal to Boakai read by player Elizabeth D. Nexte, the federation said the wheelchairs were among 36 provided through the president’s intervention, with assistance from Hadja Mamaka Bility, Minister of State without Portfolio.

The 24 wheelchairs are urgently needed for Liberia’s participation in the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation’s Africa and Gameplan Sport High-Performance Capacity-Building Camp in Suphanburi, Thailand, from Nov. 8-21, and the IWBF 3×3 Men’s and Women’s Wheelchair Basketball World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, from Nov. 23-29.

The federation warned that further delays could disrupt preparations and jeopardize the athletes’ participation in both events.

“These sports wheelchairs represent more than sporting equipment; they represent hope, opportunity, dignity, inclusion, and the chance to proudly represent our beloved country on the international stage,” the federation said in its appeal.

The federation said it first wrote to Boakai on Oct. 24, 2024, requesting 100 sports wheelchairs to support the development and expansion of wheelchair basketball across Liberia. Following the president’s intervention, 36 wheelchairs were provided.

Beyond the equipment, the federation is seeking financial assistance to cover the teams’ participation in the two competitions. It said it submitted a budget and funding request to the president’s office in September but had received no response as of the date of its appeal.

The federation described the competitions as important opportunities for Liberian athletes, particularly women and people with disabilities from marginalized communities, to gain international experience and contribute to the growth of wheelchair basketball in the country.

It also linked its appeal to the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, arguing that support for athletes with disabilities would promote inclusion and expand opportunities for a marginalized segment of the population.

The federation urged the Chief Patron of Sports to intervene with the relevant authorities to secure the release and delivery of the remaining wheelchairs and provide the financial assistance needed for the teams to compete.

For the athletes, the federation said, participating in international events would go beyond sporting achievement, giving them a chance to show their abilities and represent Liberia on the global stage.