Persons Living With Disability (PLWD) in Adamawa State have given the Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri-led government a seven-day ultimatum to improve on the attention it gives them.
A statement signed by Eng. Sani Sabo, the state chairman of the Joint National Association of PLWD, said the state government should stop marginalizing people with disability.
The PLWD alleged that the governor’s consistent refusal to give them the necessary recognition was in contravention of Nigeria’s constitution which abhors any form of maltreatment or discrimination against them.
“We wish to state that we have been discriminated by your government and treated as non-citizens in contravention of section 42 (2) of the Constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
“As member of this group, we accord the government for recognition as citizen of this country Section 16(2) of constitution (FRN) 1999 recognizes our existence as citizens.
“No wonder, President Muhammed Buhari appointed a person with disability as special adviser on disable matters and went further to give the Disable Right Act the force of law thereby establishing Disable Right Commission with the appointment of person with disability as board members,” the statement said.
The group vowed to take any action that will compel the government to listen to them if within seven days they fail to give them audience and due recognition.
Reacting to the allegation, the Press Secretary to Governor, Humwashi Wonosikou said the government has been carrying PLWD along, noting that it has been giving them palliatives through the office of the SSG, governor’s wife’s office and ministry of women affairs.
He noted that government will soon float a commission for PLWD so that they will take charge of their own affairs and that it is a huge misconception to say the government is not doing anything for the PLWD.
He urged them to exercise more patience, as the government will soon address all their concerns, saying that a number of them are in the employee of the state government.
