In efforts to unify the Deaf people of Katsina State under one entity and to ensure security amidst the increasing security challenges in the country, the leadership of Katsina State Association of the Deaf (KTSAD) under Isyaku Hassan Yargoje has initiated an extensive grassroots tour to each rural and Local Government Area of the State.
The move is intended to bring the deaf population of Katsina State, irrespective of status or academic qualifications under one umbrella.
This was disclosed in a statement signed and made available to INN by Mr. Musa Ibrahim, the association’s Secretary General.
According to Musa: “the association is working to ensure the emergence of Deaf leaders in all Local Government Areas of the State. This way, the association’s leadership structure will be in the right direction”
“The leaders at Local Government level will work in partnership with those at State level to carry along all Deaf persons from the grassroots. This will ensure that our deaf comrades in the various villages are not leave behind”.
Musa further revealed that leaders at Local Government level will be helping State executive in awareness efforts to ensure the Deaf living in villages are well informed on happenings in the State.
He pointed out the importance of the exercise, saying it will be very helpful to KTSAD leadership for data collection.
More so, Musa said “the KSAD Chairman, Mr Hassan Yargoje has made a pledge to focus on the grassroot level. In this way, deaf persons can enjoy their rights without negligence.”
“Membership registration has therefore been introduced to ensure Katsina Deaf people get registered for data collection, identification and security purposes”.
“Many Deaf people who live in the areas affected by insecurity are issued with KTSAD’s membership I.D card so that they can be easily identified. The I.D card contains relevant information such as home address, village, Local Government, guardians’ contacts and association chairman’s contact”.
The statement further explained that KTSAD has within two years successfully registered over five hundred members from different Local Government Areas and villages.
Registration is still ongoing and Deaf leaders have emerged from Local Government Areas like Daura, Sabuwa, Kafur, Faskari, Dandume, Funtua, etc through election and consensus.
“The Election Committee chaired by Yahaya Lawal is working round the clock to build more connections with Deaf people at grassroots level.
Consequently, the State chairman, Yargoje and other State Executives have been visiting a number of Local Government Areas to meet and discuss with Deaf leaders and elders on matters of critical importance to welfare of deaf people.”
According to the State chairman: “this kind of visit will, by God’s grace, continue till expiration of tenure of the current crop of executives next year.”