By Onwukw Ezeru, Abia
A group on the platform of Citizens With Disabilities in conjunction with an NGO, Centre for Citizens With Disabilities in Abia State, has decried the unfair treatment meted on its members by the Abia State government.
The leader of the group and executive director of CDC, David O. Ayaele, said in Umuahia that the continued exclusion of persons with disabilities on government policies and programmes aimed at improving the living conditions of Nigerians is a mockery of the few holders of government appointments.
The group noted that the Abia State government appointed its member as a special assistant to the governor on disability matters without official tools to function.
“In as much as we applaud Ikpeazu for his charity gestures, we condemn a situation whereby individuals appointed as Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants on Disability Matters without office, let alone staff to do the job.
“To demonstrate the extent of the Abia State government neglect of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities the government for the past three years has failed to send Abia blind citizens to the Nigeria farm craft centre for the blind and for rehabilitation of newly blind citizens.
“This has led to other states to take the slots of Abia State at the centre”.
The group said that the challenge was compounded by absence of policy and legal framework to protect citizens with disabilities from discrimination and other harmful practices in the state and federal level.
“We call on the state government to urgently address the issue of sponsoring Abia blind citizens to Nigeria Farm Craft Centre for the blind training, rehabilitation and integration into the society and to provide and furnish reasonable accommodation for these appointees to enable them deliver their roles and responsibilities.”
The group condemned the return of passed bill on disability to the State House of Assembly by the Abia State governor.
“Recognizing that 6th session of Abia State House of Assembly passed a disability bill titled Abia State Agency for the Welfare of the Disabled which was denied assent by the governor and returned back to the house.
“We call on the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly to intervene on the situation of Abians with disabilities through representation of the disability bill to the governor for assent”.