People Wth Disabilities Want Inclusion In Governance

By: Taneh Beemene

The Joint National Association of People With Disabilities has called on the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to consider the association in the appointment of commissioners and Special Assistants to give  them a sense of belonging and direct representation in the scheme of things.
The Niger Delta Regional Chairman of the association, Comrade David Enogho made the call during the general congress of the Rivers State chapter of the association held at Approved School, Borikiri in Port Harcourt, recently.
Comrade Enogho who commended the Rivers State Governor for appointing an SA on Disability Matters in his first tenure  urged the  Governor to give more appointments to the Disability  Community in Rivers State to give effective representation and a sense of belonging in the scheme of affairs of the State.
He urged the Governor to give consideration to the clusters that constitute the Disability Community in the state,  namely the Blinds,the Deaf and the Physically Challenged.
Also speaking, the South-South Coordinator of the association, Comrade Fatai Onifade who observed the  congress  commended members of the association for their peaceful conduct during the congress.
Comrade Onifade who was represented by Comrade Igbuzor at the meeting also assured the committment of the  association to protect the interest of the resolutions reached at the  congress, part of which was the dissolution of the Kie Obomanu-led executive in the state.
The  congress accused the devolved executive of gross misconduct such as; “ The interference into national matters of the association, frivivilous  taxation on members, lack of accountability and self serving motives,” and urged the general public to dissociate from the desvolved executive on matters affecting the  association.
The congress also constituted an eleven-man Caretaker Committee, representative of the various clusters of the association to run its affairs in Rivers State, pendiing  the formal election of a new  executive in the state.
In his speech, the new chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the Association, Comrade Peter Job Wota  thanked the  congress for  giving him the opportunity to serve the association as chairman.
He assured the commitment to propagate the welfare of members of the association at all times. Other officials appointed by the  Congress to run the affairs of the association,  include Comrades Ngo Nubaridoo, Secretay, Collins Akpanah, PRO, Chinonso Ejimozor,  Treasurer, among others.