NNAD VP Candidate Pledges To Address Employment, Scholarship Opportunities For Members If Elected

Haruna Tsafe, the Vice Presidential Candidate for Nigeria National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) has pledged that if elected, he would ensure that members of the Association have more access to employment, empowerment, agricultural initiatives among others.

Tsafe, made the promise while addressing a gathering during the campaign rally for United, Peace and Progress Team (UPP-T) North-Central Zone campaign rally of Nigeria National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) held in Lafia, Nasarawa state on Tuesday.

The gathering included Special Adviser to the governor on Disability Affiars, A.A Sule, President Deaf Women Association of Nigeria, Chief of Minna, Acting Director Rehabilitation Center Nassarawa state, NNAD Presidential hopeful, Chairmen of all North Central States, delegates, supporters among others.

He said “If elected into NNAD office, we will take advantage of the Disability Right Act in addressing area of employment, education, scholarship, empowerment, agriculture, health, and so on. As we aware that most of you are farmers, jobless, need scholarship, medical support etc

“If elected into office, we will make appropriate collaboration between NNAD and government agencies in implementing government’s policies and programmes that will address the above challenges,” Tsafe said.

He noted that the content in disability right act stated that all persons with disabilities should be given equal right, equal opportunity, saying that it was time for the Association to seize the opportunity and ensure that its members benefit from such initiatives.

“As a bonafide citizen of Nigeria. We will use the Disability Right Act on area of agriculture by approaching federal ministry of agriculture to provide some percentage of benefit to deaf farmers once they met all criteria to be eligible for this beneficiary.

“Also on education, we will approach federal ministry of education for scholarship locally and internationally once deaf students met the requirement and other MDAs in addressing these challenge. In fact for long ago, we have been neglected by the government due to lack of lobbying power, collaboration and so on,” he said.

Tsafe, who is also a member of the Campaign Council for the Ondo Governorship election, said efforts will also be made to break the communication barriers between federal, state and local level.

“As we have deaf association at local, state and federal level, we will ensure appropriate communication flow between three tiers in order to know the problem and challenge face deaf members and see how we can solve these challenges.

“Again, there are different emergency numbers where people can reach NEMA, FRSC, Fire service etc, deaf members must not be left out as we will work with ministry of communication and her agency to develop WhatsApp toll number where our members will also can reach to us or any relevant authority on emergency issues.

He said much effort will be made to collaborate with other disability clusters to maximize the set goals.

This, Tsafe said, can only be achieved “when all elders, women, youths come together and give us support, encouragement and advice, we are sure to achieve all goals.”