Disability Advocate Writes Gov Bala Mohammed, Lament Exclusion Of Aide On PWD Affairs In Cabinet Appointment

A Disability Advocate, Dayyabu Tanimu Azare has lamented the non appointment of a Special Assistant On Disability Matters by the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed.

Azare, in an open letter to the Governor, noted that the disability community in the State were disturbed that while a Special Assistant on Unmmaried Women Affairs was appointed, there was none for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

He noted that the situation was rather unfortunate as people with disabilities in the Nigeria are left behind unattended, as a result of their cases been unheard or ignored by the society in which they live.

“They are often consider unimportant on the perception that they have nothing to offer for the development of their society because of their conditions. Their plights is under reported and many of them are known to be intelligent but they remain sidelined because of the ailment that shortchanged their life and made them disabled.

“As you appointed a number of aides. I hurried to get the list and their portfolio, unfortunately I can’t find single PWDs in the list that will serve as the liaison officer between the people and your leadership and despite the fact that there is S.A youth, S.A Students and scholarship matters, S.A Media, S.A Skill acquisition and empowerment and now S.A on unmarried women affairs etc. Hardly S.A on disabled matters that will take care of the above individual be appointed,” he said.

Azare reminded the Bauchi Governor that President Muhammad Buhari recently approved the appointment of one blind man as Special Assistant on disabled matters, while Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila appointed Special Assistant on Equal Opportunity and People with Special Needs.

According to him, the development will restore confidence and hope in the minds and among the people with special needs.

“Another important thing to note by appointing Specia Adviser on Disabled Matters is that they will not only serve as the liaison officer between the government and the disabled community but will also serve as an informat according to the Disabled related matters because according to my knowledge, several normal people and their so called organizations had been using as a tool for enriching themselves.

“Meanwhile there are some self appointed Disabled organizations that will use Disabled names to benefits themselves also by writing a letter of fake proposal or request for assistance etc to support disabled but to be sincere some of them are only trying to benefits themselves and the few not the majority of Disabled they claimed to represent.

“Imagine if the government had an SA on disabled who is one of them registered and active in their joint associations? He would have helped the government to avoid approving fraudulent requests and advice on
genuine requests,” he said.