Implement Rivers Disability Law, Group Tells Wike

Regional ECK Spiritual Aide (RESA) for Nigeria, Mr. Ifeatu John, with Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja (2nd left), member, Eckankar Clergy, Anne Archer Butcher and King Kaleb Obuge, during a courtesy visit by the Eckankar Clergy to the monarch in Port Harcourt, yesterday
Photo: Ibioye Diamo

The Rugged Step Founda
tion, a humanitarian NGO, based in Rivers State, has called on the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Chief Ezenwo Wike to mplement the Rivers State Disability law, passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and assented by the former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi in 2012.
The CEO and Founder of the body, Prince Kalada Oko-Jaja made the call during a special programme, tagged ‘Visit of Hope’ organised by the body to commemorate the World Disability Day in Port Harcourt recently.
Oko-Jaja, said the implementation of the Rivers State Disability Law, would protect the interest of the physically challenged people in the state.
He explained that the absence of an effective law in this regard had exposed the physically challenged to indignities and social exclusions, such as inaccessibility of institutional facilities, employment opportunities and other forms of stigmatization.
He said ‘the visit of hope’ was to encourage physically challenged, but skillful and talented persons who have engaged in creative activities to sustain their livelihood.
He also said that the body which is self sponsored had embarked on a welfarist scheme to lend their support to about 30 physically challenged persons for the past five years, and called on the multinational, corporate institutions, and well meaning individuals to support the physically challenged in the society.
Okoh Jaja also advocated for the appointment of a special adviser on disabilities to give a direct sense of belonging and concern to the physically challenged.
According to him, the body would unveil its special reality TV show on disabilities on the 20th of this month.
One of the physically challenged persons visited, simply known as Ismaila, who sells, recharge cards and stationeries, thanked the NGO for its support and called on other organizations to come to the aid of the physically challenged in the society.

Taneh Beemene