By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse
People Leaving With Disabilities (PWDs) in Jigawa state have requested the Jigawa state government to give them special consideration in the ongoing federal government palliative distribution in the state.
The was made by the chairman of the Jigawa state chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Adamu Shuaibu in an exclusive interview with reporters in Dutse. He decried how people leaving with disabilities were isolated among the 1,000 or 1,100 beneficiaries in 27 local government areas of the state.
The JONAPWD Chairman appealed to the state and federal governments by extension to made a special provisions in the ongoing parllaitive distribution for their members considering their various conditions.
Shuaibu explained that “the governor of Jigawa state is trying in the inclusion aspect, however when it comes to the implementers in so many cases PWDs were left behind or ignored totally especially the issue of palliative distribution”.
The chairman allege that “The problem we have with the palliative distribution is that, even if the governor Malam Namadi gave directives, those implementing were not following his directives in most at times”.
According to him “When we observed that, our association wrote to the chairman palliative distribution who is the deputy governor in the state, Engineer Aminu Usman requested his intervention for special treatment on our people, and begs for a formula that will give a certain percentage at local government level aims at having a specific quantity to our members for easy follow up”.
“Despite that, yesterday Friday 17/8 another distribution was launched but to the best of my knowledge none of our members (PWDs) benefits in Dutse local government which happened to be my home local government area. As a journalist who covers the lunching ceremony, have you seen any person leaving with disabilities weither male or female collected?”
Shuaibu maintained that “I have been receiving calls from our members from almost all the 27 local areas and Dutse in particular where the exercise had been flagged off asking if we are part of it. But I have been telling them to be patient, that we are yet to be contacted”
He said to that regard “We have earlier channeled the complain to Hon Speaker of the state Assembly at the fast and he promised to Intervene and talk to honourable commissioner for special duties. I sent a reminder to the speaker on his earlier promise and we a waiting for his response. And I have the confidence it is going to be positive”.
JONAPWD Chairman added that “Secondly I am trying to reach to the Special Assistant to the governor on disability matters to hear from him if there is any arrangement, if not he should try and make it as quick as possible”.
He however, expressed the association’s appreciation to the governor, and government of Jigawa state for implementation of Jigawa State Disabilities law, and considering his members in the recent teachers employme
