Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Executive Director, Network for the Advancement of People With Visible Disabilities (NAPVID) and convener, Edo Disability Forum (EDF), Melody Omosah, has tasked the state government to set up the disability commission to help implement the state’s disability law.
The convener, Melody Omosah who led other members of the forum on an advocacy visit to the government house, in Benin City, said that only a sustainable solution can take care of the needs of PWDs in the state.
According to Omosah, what Edo PWDs “need in the long-run” is empowerment, to contribute to national growth rather than wait for handouts hence the call for the government to create the enabling environment for them to thrive.
“What we would recommend as a sustainable solution, is that yes; we thank his Excellency, the governor of Edo State (Godwin Obaseki) who has given us a disability law in 2022. He promised he was going to do that, and he did it; but, the commission that would drive the implementation of that law, and that would coordinate government effort at ensuring social inclusion in governance and development, is not in place.
“We would request that before this administration winds up in November, that commission should be established, so that we have on a sustainable basis, an organ of government that is able to handle issues as it affects persons with disabilities without necessarily waiting situation like this emergency situations (occasioned by removal of petroleum subsidy) to arise. Nip it in the bud. That (Edo disability) commission when put in place would guarantee that for persons living with disabilities.”, The EDF convener, Omosah posited.
Responding, Ogie Ogendegbe, who received the group on behalf of the chief of staff, Osaigbovo Iyoha, assured them of the state governor’s commitment to the welfare of Edo people.
Ogendegbe promised that, their demands would be granted, describing the governor as a “visioner”.
The visit to government house is coming after series of advocacy visits to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to draw their attention to the plight of PWDs in the state especially as a result of the petroleum subsidy removal by president Bola Tinubu-led federal government.
The group also presented its findings on the adverse effects of the subsidy removal in the overall well-being of PWDs across the three senatorial districts, and as well recommendations on how to inclusively mitigate effects of current economic hardship, to representative of the chief of staff, Iyoha.
