The Special Assistant to the governor of Abia State on Persons With Disability, Mr David Anyaele, has urged Abia residents to treat persons living with any form of disability with love and dignity to give them a sense of belonging and brighten their mood at all times.
Anyaele made this appeal in Umuahia, the state capital during a seminar organized for people living with disabilities, tagged ‘Promoting Inclusive Economic Opportunities and Community Resilience for Persons with Disabilities.’
The SA decried the various forms of humiliation faced by those living with disabilities which often makes them feel neglected and left out.
He said, “Most of them are treated with disdain in public places, getting jobs is a huge problem it feels like those living with disabilities have already been condemned to death to the extent that life isn’t worth it again for them due to the various forms of rejection they daily.”
He expressed dissatisfaction with the way some of the politicians usually come around the disabled during electioneering campaigns to donate palliatives and gift items to them to show pity while neglecting them when they assume office instead of passing laws that will ease their sufferings.
Anyaele therefore strongly advised against stigmatizing and discriminating against them since the holy book commanded us to treat everyone with love regardless of anything.
He enthused, “Disability opens doors of opportunities for persons that have if they know their worth.
“In a family, in a community persons living with a disability can become a shining light to them. Even in the workplace, it is even more profitable to hire persons with disabilities than people without disabilities. The moment you have a person with a disability he or she will be the last person to leave the office while excellently performing their duties.”
He however pointed out that the Governor Alex Otti-led administration is doing everything in her power to assist those living with disabilities in the state.
He said, “Part of our responsibility as a state is to ensure that those living with disabilities have economic benefits and participate in economic activities on an equal basis with others.
“The government of Governor Otti is taking steps to promote equal opportunities both socially and economically for those with disabilities. People with disabilities who lack understanding or civil society organizations that lack understanding of government economic policies, programs, and activities may struggle much more to be able to benefit, which is the reason this seminar is taking place which is the dream of a new Abia where persons with disabilities are properly taken care of.
He assured the people that Otti’s government would soon establish Abia State Disability Commission which would cater to the welfare of those with disabilities, even though it would take a bit of time due to the sensitive nature of matters concerning disabilities.
He added, “Poverty is the major driver of disability, therefore the more abuse of state resources by individuals that are responsible the more they create opportunities for disability to occur all of us must work hard to ensure that government effort in ensuring that our resources are properly utilized is achieved they should support the state to reduce disability in our communities by ensuring there are more economic opportunities just as we are building the capability of those living with disability.
“All hands must be on deck to make sure government infrastructures and properties are properly maintained and taken care of at all times.
“If the health care facilities that are maintained by the government are not properly taken care of or looted it will lead to poor health care services since the facilities are not in proper shape and this can lead to disability that is the trajectory that is around it.it is estimated that more than 400,000 Abians are experiencing one form of disability or the other”.
