From Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The JIgawa state chairman of the Persons With Disability (PWDs), Alhaji Adamu Shuaibu has expressed concern over alleged marginalization of the group in the ongoing palliative distribution in JIgawa state.
The chairman who spoke to newsmen in Dutse, the state capital said it is an outright violation of the state’s Persons with Disabilities Law (2016)
Alhaji Shuaibu noted that his members are being marginalized in the scheme of things in the state despite the existing law that addressed some of their challenges including accessibility to buildings and economic empowerment.
He accused the state government of alienating the association as none of their members is part of the distribution committees for the palliatives at either state or local government level.
According to him “PWDs like any other Nigerian, are suffering from the effect of fuel subsidy removal by the federal government, however, he observed that their members were left out in the ongoing distribution of palliatives across the 27 local government areas in JIgawa state and they are not considered to benefit”.
The PWDs Chair added that “Despite the provision of the law, PWDs are still being discriminated against and marginalized in the state hence he said they are seeking the full implementation of the law”.
He maintained that they are supposed to be included in all the committees constituted by the government to handle the distribution of the palliatives.
The chairman insisted that the discrimination of the members in by the government is jeopardizing their interest, rights and privileges of the members.
Alhaji Shuaibu explained further that “There are few employment opportunities for PWDs. We thereby seek for the employment of our members in both governments and private organizations in the state as enshrined in the law”.
“We also seek for the launching of the PWD Fund as stated in the law to support PWDs in the state, Alhaji Shuaibu said.
He emphasis that “Section 4 of the disabilities law stimulated that the state and local government councils shall consider persons with disabilities in their programmes and services, especially social protection programmes, Shuaibu quoted the law.
He claimed that its members which comprise the blind, deaf, lepers, crippled and the Albinos constituted over 25 per cent of the total population of the state.