Person Living With Disabilities (PWDs) in Kogi State have appealed to the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello to implement the Disability Right Bill into Law, 11 months after he had signed the document.
In a letter addressed to the Governor, President of Kogi Central Persons With Disabilities (KCPWDs), Comrd. Umar Zakariya’u Shaibu said it’s members were going through hardship, saying that all the government had done since passing the law was stressing them to fill forms without any concrete feedback.
Shaibu, while acknowledging the Governor for his efforts said implementing the law will go a long way to address some of the burdens PWDs are going through in the State especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ramadan fast.
Part of the letter read: “Your Excellency, no doubt you are extremely doing well in many areas in the state. We know it is not possible to just do everything but it is expected that Persons with Disabilities issues of life and welfare are not treated with political gloves.
“It is based on this that we write to remind you that thousands of the Person With Disabilities of the subject matter are still not attended to.
“Your Excellency, this make it the 11th month you passed the Disability Right bill Commission into Law Sir. Since creation of the state, all the government has done was stressing them with filling of one form to another without feedbacks.
“Your Excellency, at least you have tried and passed the Bill into Law. All our expectation is implementation of the law.”
“Your Excellency, we know you have a listening ear and you have demonstrated in many occasion that you are with the masses. That is why we invite you to ponder a little about these your lawful subjects that have been out of appointment.
“They have families as others. They pay medical bills, tuition fees and rents as many do. And, today we are faced with this pandemonium of Covid-19 amidst lockdown and Ramadan. As you paid last month salary for the state, these people are only shedding tears for lack of resources to attend to their needs in this trying period all because their own government maliciously deny them their dues.”
Shaibu told the Governor that history would be kind to him if he makes PWDs share in the same joy as other workers in the State by implementing the contents of the Disability Rights Law.
“We know, you stand with the masses, hence we look forward for an urgent attention on their plights during this Ramadan,” he added.