Ganduje offers scholarship to children of visually impaired persons

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Mukhtar Saleh

Nasiru Yusuf

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has offered full scholarship to children of visually impaired persons from primary up to university level.

Mr Ganduje revealed this on Monday during the 2021 Annual General Meeting and congregational prayers organized by Arewa Freedom of Blind held at State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

He urged visually impaired persons to complement government efforts by sending their wards to school to acquire education so as to become self reliant.

Ganduje said the government will look into developing a blueprint on skill acquisition to train and empower the persons and make them self reliant instead of providing them with jobs.

“I am happy that you throw your weight behind the government on ban of street begging. It is better to teach you how to catch fish than to give you fish.

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“If you are given fish, when you finish eating the fish you will go back to beg. Therefore, acquiring skill acquisition is better than jobs. Because how many people can you provide jobs?

“We are directing the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to develop and design a blueprint for skill acquisition that best be inculcated in the blind that can help them become self-reliant.

“We have made education free in the state with exception with your children. Like you earlier appealed, we will also sponsor them to tertiary institution.

“But you must make sure you children go to school to become Doctors and Engineers among others.

“Plans are also on top gear to establish an agency to cater for the needs of persons living with disability.

“To that effect, a bill was sent before the state house of Assembly and we have approved it,” Governor Ganduje said.

In his address the president of Association of Blind Persons from 19 Northern states Mukhtar Saleh pleaded with Ganduje to provide them with jobs so they can quit street begging.