Tochukwu Ifejika
The Anambra State Government, south east Nigeria, on Friday, issued cash grants to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) to enhance their small scale businesses.
The beneficiaries are members of the Association of Anambra State Women with Disabilities, a Division of Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Anambra State branch.
The Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Youth Development Programmes, Dr. Nelson Obinna Omenugha, who spoke at the ceremony on behalf of the government, said the cash grants of 40000 Naira each was in fulfilment of Soludo’s electoral promise.
Omenugha, who was represented by Mr Dubem Kervins, explained that the gesture was aimed at moving away from the charitable model of empowerment to a model that would make PWDs self-reliant and wealth creators.
According to him, the gesture would go a long way to enhance their productivity and facilitate their contributions to the socio-economic development of Anambra State.
Omenugha, maintained that in line with the social inclusion policy of the state government, it would continue to ensure that the rights of PLWDs were protected and promoted through relevant policies and programmes.
“Beneficiaries of this gesture of the state government must imbibe the spirit of giving and contributing to society and see themselves as instruments of positive change,” the S.A counselled.
In her brief address, the Chairperson of Association of Anambra State Women with Disabilities, Comrade Nwanokwara Ncheta, explained that the gesture, being a first phase, was mainly for business owners who suffered the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In their seperate addresses, Mrs Ify Arounu-Okafor, the state coordinator of Gender Perspective and Social Development Centre Awka, Mrs Anekwe Eucharia Ijeoma and the State Chairman of JONAPWD, Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, urged the beneficiaries to invest the funds properly.
One of the beneficiaries, Fransica Okafor, while thanking the government, said she would use the money to improve her Poultry farm business in order to support other less privileged people in her community by creating employment opportunities.