Lifestyle

Make your donations to special schools for PWD- Gov Oyebanji tells Friends, Associates

By Web News 404

By Amos Ogunrinde

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has appealed to his friends, family members, well-wishers and the general public not to organise any birthday party, gift or newspaper advertisement in commemoration of his 56th birthday billed for Thursday, December 21st. 

Instead of advertisement placements, gifts or social gatherings, Governor Oyebanji said anyone willing to celebrate with him should make cash or material donations to the less privileged children in the State.

The Governor requested that gifts and cash be sent to the Government Special School for the Deaf, Ikoro-Ekiti; Special School for the Blind, Ikere-Ekiti; and Special School for the Mentally and Physically Challenged, Ido-Ekiti, as well as the State Relief and Rehabilitation Centre for the Mentally Challenged in Ado-Ekiti.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, Governor Oyebanji said financial and material gifts sent to these schools by his friends and well-wishers would be of greater value and a better appreciated birthday celebration for him, adding that the country is at a point where citizens should make deliberate efforts at reaching out to the less privileged in the society.

He expressed happiness at the number of family members, friends  and associates that presented gifts to the three special schools during his birthday last year, and the attendant joy the gestures brought to the faces of the students.

Governor Oyebanji said he became happier when he got reports on how each of the schools utilized the financial and material gifts they received from him and his friends to enhance the welfare and wellbeing of the students and to upgrade some facilities within the schools.

The Governor said he would be happy if his friends and well wishers would grant his wishes this year again, by joining him in putting smiles on the faces of the students with disabilities instead of any gift or party they might have in mind.

The Ikogosi-Ekiti born Oyebanji, a former University lecturer turned politician, will be 56 years on December 21, 2023.

Human Angle

Ogun Empowers People with Disabilities

By Web News 463

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke 

Ogun State Government has distributed empowerment materials including mobility aids, professional working tools and digital educational devices to the various clusters of people with disabilities, PWD, with an assurance to ensure the inclusion of their peculiarities in the various policy phases. 

The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Adijat Adeleye stated this in Abeokuta during the empowerment activities in commemoration of the International day of Disabilities.

Mrs Adeleye stressed that the present administration remained committed to recognizing the potential of all people, particularly those with disabilities, adding that efforts were in top gear to ensure a review of the subscription charges of the State Health Insurance to enable the people with disabilities key into the health programme. 

The Commissioner who solicited the support of relevant stakeholders, said the ministry would continue to collectively strive to ensure that people with disabilities are not hindered from achieving positive outcomes in life.

In her remarks, the Chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Bakare Olanrewaju, assured that the State House of Assembly would continue to give more strategic support through passage of bills and resolutions to encourage the activities of PWD in the state. 

Earlier in his lecture, a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Ibrahim Opeewe, said it became imperative for Government at all levels to consider PWD in the holistic attainment of all SDGs towards achieving a balanced society. 

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Politics

INEC Seeks Reliable Data for Inclusion of PWDs

By Web News 417

The Independent National Electoral. Commission, INEC, says the commission needs more reliable data for greater inclusion of People with Disabilities, PWDs, in the forthcoming general election.

The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at the ‘ABLE2VOTE’ Campaign in Abuja, organized by the Albino Foundation, to ensure the mainstreaming of People with Disabilities in the electoral process.

Prof Yakubu said that PWDs are citizens with the right to participate in all areas of human activity without stigma or discrimination.

He noted their systematic exclusion on account of disability has affected a significant part of the nation’s population, from effective participation in areas of human endeavour.

”As we continue to prepare for the 2023 General Election, for us to serve you better, we need more reliable data on disability, particularly the locations with the largest concentration of PWDs”.

“We appealed to the political parties, their polling agents and voters to cooperate with them and the security agencies to protect them. It is a happy experience to see them discharge their responsibilities like all other ad hoc staff”.

“In pursuit of our equal opportunities for all Nigerians, we would also look forward to other categories for PWDs to serve as Supervisors, Monitors, Collation and even Returning Officers during elections.”

Founder of The Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Epelle, lauded the INEC Chairman for his doggedness to promote the inclusion of PWDs during elections.

Mr Ekpelle said “We are going to be deploying 700 members of PWDs as observers in our electoral hub in partnership with INEC. Deploy an on-the-spot app that will give us an accurate assessment of what is happening in every polling unit for real-time data”.

According to him, sign language interpreters would be deployed in the two Houses of the National Assembly with salary payment for three years, while interns would be sent to 10 States Houses of Assembly.

Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Mr Nasir Kwarra said that the commission would work towards ensuring that disability groups serve and participate in the coming national census.

Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr James Lalu, reiterated that with the intervention of INEC a lot of political parties are now giving consideration to PWDs. “The just concluded Continuous Voter Registration enabled us to obtain our voter cards”.

FRCN/Adebukola Aluko