In a move by the Jigawa state government to stem the tide in street begging, the state government in conjunction with the European Society For Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID) an international donor organization have launched Persons With Disabilities Funds.
The launch, the National Update gathered is part of the State’s effort to support the physically challenged persons to improve their social welfare.
Speaking at the occasion Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar said, the state government is determined to make the State an all inclusive society adding that any person that needs help in the state will be taken care of.
According to the Governor his administration has signed the disability law and Social Protection Council law which culminated into the actualization of the Persons With Disabilities Fund and the commencement of Cash Transfer to over 5,000 selected pregnant women for enhancing their nutrition and encouraging them to attend hospitals for antenatal and postnatal care.
The Governor promised to donate some part of his monthly salary in the remaining period of his tenure for the course.
Other promises of monthly donation came from the members of the state executive council, State assembly, 27 Local government councils, NURTW and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Also the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) promised a monthly donation for the period of one year, CBN also promised to send undisclosed amount of money as its donation to the Fund.
The chief launcher of the fund Alhaji Haruna Maifata donated N2 million, Hon Tijani Gaya donated N1 million among others.
In his goodwill massage the Social Protection Manager, ESPID, Mr Abiodum Abanwo promised to continue providing technical support and other interventions for the sustainability of the fund, to enhance the life of vulnerable members of the society to address the hunger/nutrition challenges in the state.
In his vote of thanks, the chairman of the Joint Association of Physically Challenge Persons (JAPCP), Alhaji Usman Muhammad thanked the Jigawa state government, civil societies, donor partners, media and the general public for the show of love and concern for the physically challenge persons by donating to the Fund and gracing the occasion.