People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) have drawn the battle line, telling the Federal Government to reverse its perceived skewed policy against them or risk a nationwide protest by their 20-million-strong membership. VINCENT OHONBAMU reports from Gombe
People Living with Disabilities or PLWDs are angry. President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a physically-challenged man, Dr. Samuel Inalegwu Ankeli, senior special assistant on disabled matters, but that does not pacify the PLWDs.
Why? They say nothing worth noting has happened to them since Dr Ankeli’s appointment. Public buildings and other infrastructure are not fitted with ramps and therefore not PLWD-friendly, and they find it difficult to enter and come out of such facilities. Besides, the PLWDs say they are constantly discriminated against in employment.
What next? They want the federal government to directly factor them into its policies and show that government is aware of their existence, and sees them not as second-class citizens but full-fledged compatriots with rights and a lot to offer the society.
They want their voices heard and their challenged seriously tackled. And the government has until December to do so, else their 20-million-strong members will pour out into the streets in protests across the nation.
Mr Umar Ali Goro, Northeast Coordinator, PLWDs and chairman of the association in Gombe State, revealed this in the state. He said enough is enough of how they are being treated.
Goro said President Buhari administration’s success over insurgency in the Northeast and appointment of Ankeli were commendable, but that there is nothing else the administration has done for the PLWDs.
He said PLWDs are left out of government’s plan.
Speaking further, Goro said, “More than two years are gone and we have not seen anything yet. Now, our hopes of being considered in the scheme of things under the present administration within the remaining one year, seven months and some 20 days in the present term are fading.”
He said the reason for their frustration is that there have been programmes and activities in which they ought to be considered within the past two years, but are overlooked.
“The Em-power Programme,” he said, “has no package for the disabled. There was employment – teachers and other graduates, but not a single disabled person was considered.
“There is the issue of CBN agriculture loan. As we speak, we don’t even know where CBN is, not to talk of going there for loans.
“The President appointed the Northeast Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI) under the headship of T. Y. Danjuma without a single PLWD member in it. The assistances the committee renders hardly reach the disabled. Even when the former Minister of Environment came, most disabled persons were not captured in the food items distributed.
“Besides, about 85% of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that come to the Northeast do not pay attention to the PLWD community. Mind you, we are the ones most affected by the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents because we cannot run, we don’t see, we don’t hear, we can’t talk and we don’t have fingers to hold something or toes to run.
“More so, a lot of people have become disabled due to insurgents’ bomb attacks – some amputated, some have lost their feet, some are deaf and some blinded.”
The PLWD chairman said have observed and come to the conclusion that what they are suffering is a result of poor representation or advise to Mr. President.
“So, we are going to mobilise all people living with disabilities nationwide for a protest rally to seek the removal of Dr. Ankeli because his appointment is a gross mistake because he is self-centred,” Goro said.
He said it is regrettable that Dr. Ankeli is toying with the interest of a population that represents about 20 million voters across the country.
The PLWD chair also urged the President to honour his campaign promise by ensuring the signing of the National Disability Bill which will give PLWDs a greater sense of belonging.
“The bill has been there since the last 16 years and it is still not signed,” he said.
“If Uganda would have arrangements for everything that concerns People Living with Disabilities, how can it be heard of that Nigeria, a mother in Africa has nothing like that?”
He argued that: “the only way out of this quagmire is the protest rally; we will come out to tell the President that the person appointed to represent us is only representing himself. If he says he is representing us, let him come out and prove it,” he stated
Ali Goro who buttress his arguments with Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said the sad story is not different in Gombe state where the present administration has spent over N 7 billion on education without a single package for People Living with Disabilities.
He said it is painful that no attention was paid to the only special school in the state, despite the challenges that bedevilled it and despite that it’s Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools are in the same location. The other special school in Billiri was built by SUBEB and there no cooks to cook for boarding students.
He said all effort to have the special school in Gombe fenced by government and stave-off the once rampant rape cases was rebuffed by the Commissioner of Education in Gombe until SUBEB came to the rescue by fencing the special school.
He said their Association in the state had placed a request for 18-seat bus on the state government’s table since 2013, but nothing had been done about it.
He said they were also at the Deputy Governor’s office sometime last year to seek audience with the state governor, but are yet to be replied.
“We want to sit with the governor so that he can hear our challenges and know how to come in. Since the creation of Gombe state, we have never been privilege to see the state governor officially.
“What we are after at the community of People Living With Disabilities is one who will attend to their needs, advise them, give them their rights and help them in any.
“Look, these things we are asking for our rights and privileges accorded us by the constitution. We are a part of the common wealth of Gombe state and Nigeria. So, our interest should and must be considered. Records abound that we can deliver if given the chance,” he said.
