The body of the physically challenged in Anambra state under the aegis of the Association for Comprehensive Empowerment of Nigerians with Disability(ASCEND) have called for a supervising ministry or agency to take charge of their needs and challenges in the state.
The national President of the ASCEND, Chief Cosmas Okoli told the Guardian in Awka yesterday that it was reason why his association is supporting the governorship aspiration and vision of Dr Ifeanyi Ubah of the Labour Party (LP) who promised to carry them along.
According to him, “we are integral part of the Anambra society and any aspiring candidate who wants to serve the people conscientiously must be ready to run an all-inclusive administration. That is, he must accommodate the physically challenged in his award of contracts, appointments, employments and other policies…”
He disclosed that the association critically appraised the manifestos and stance of the whole candidates in the forthcoming?Nov 16governorship election in Anambra and discovered that it is only Dr Ifeanyi Ubah that has a well-thought out plans and programme for his members. That it was on the strength of that discovery they chose to support him to the hilt.
Okoli told journalists that their demands and expectations from the government was not really so much, other than being given a sense of belonging as human beings. A situation where scholarships could be provided for their children, monthly stipends, and or sponsored training for his members to help their conditions, etc.
Bemoaning what he described as unfair and deceptive relationship between his Anambra state members and the outgoing administration of Gov Peter Obi, Okoli said that things would therefore look better if there is a supervising ministry, agency or commission with the welfare of the members as its preoccupation, and should be headed by a physically challenged.
He noted that he mobilized 1500 members from Lagos, Abuja, Portharcourt and other parts of the country at his own expense to Anambra state in 2006 to protest against the then Anambra state Assembly in the wake of the impeachment proceedings against Gov Obi who ASCEND believed committed no impeachable offence then. He said that Obi led them on and continued to call and liaise with them till the Awka-street wide protest which contributed in no small measure for Obi’ restoration. “But unfortunately the governor forgot and abandoned them till date.
That even the Operational bus for the association or their logistics Obi promised years ago were all mere lip service and political empty talk. So this time the members screened all candidates and found Ubah to be reliable and friendly.
From Chuks Collins, Awka
