AS GOVERNOR ABBA APPROVES TRAINING, SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR DISABLED,
–Honourable Saji meets leaders of PWD
Ahead of an approved training and support package for People With Disability (PWD), Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Women, Children and the Disabled, Hajiya Aisha Lawan Saji, has met with various leaders of the disabled across Kano and the four emirate councils.
The meeting which was held at the Conference room of the ministry on Thursday, August 17 2023, had in attendance leaders (sarakuna) of PWD from Kano, Karaye, Rano, Gaya and Bichi.
Delivering an opening address at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sa’adatu Sa’idu Bala, ably represented by Director, Administration and General Services (DAGS), Hajiya Mariya Hodi, described the meeting as first of it’s kind.
She said the meeting was specifically called by the Commissioner to enable her have first hand knowledge of their worries. The Director then wished them a fruitful deliberation.
The meeting which witnessed a large turn-out of leaders of PWD, commenced with brief introduction and later, a roll out of a long list of challenges, appeals and demands.
With rampant appeal of increase in monthly allowance topping the list, the leaders present also made a near unanimous call for resuscitation of centers located at the 44 local government councils of the state.
According to most of them who spoke on the issue, the resuscitation of the centers will bring skills acquisition training closer to them and ensure better life for them and their families.
Also put forward for consideration by government was a plea for additional special schools for PWD, a way which the leaders argued is the only solution to the disturbing issue of street begging.
Acknowledging their personal disdain for street begging within and outside Kano, some of them who made the plea, argued that begging is a last option necessitated by lack of education and, or an acceptable source of income.
Other challenges put forward by the leaders was exclusion from the civil service, lack of operational and, or functional vehicles, despite the fact that their offices are recognized by governments at various levels.
They also complained of lack of government’s patronage of their finished products, lack of representation in political appointment and delay in payment of entitlements, citing current delay in release of year 2022 entitlement for the annual prayer trip to Niger Republic.
Responding, the Honourable Commissioner said the purpose of the meeting was to meet with them face-to-face and directly get to know their problems as, ‘this is a pay back period for a group of people whose roles in Governor Abba’s victory can not be forgotten”.
Speaking further, she assured that the government, through her ministry, has numerous plans for them, but quickly added that such supportive plans can only be realizable with their cooperation and prayers.
This can be done, she added, by making themselves available for training and by committing to purpose any support package given to them, revealing that there will be a monitoring and evaluation team to ensure this.
In a Press release signed by Aishatu Haruna, Director, Public Enlightenment,
Ministry of Women Children and the Disabled, Kano further Stated that Honourable Saji also promised to look into the issue of entitlement for prayer trip to Niger Republic so as to know where the problem lies.
She also used the opportunity to inform them of plans by the government to include PWD in programs that will fall within government’s 100 days in office.
The Commissioner therefore, assured them of support soon, and asked them to continue to pray for the government.
