It could be depressing to the physically challenged if they are being discriminated on account of their helpless condition. It is even worsening if their loved ones and siblings dole out sachets of neglect and abandonment to them. It is not strange to discover that the society particularly Nigerian habitually discriminates against this group of people. Most companies, parastatals and government ministries are reluctant in offering jobs to people living with disabilities even if they are most qualified.
Most parents with disabled children would not want to ‘waste’ money on their education. To them, begging on the streets to survive is what fits a child whose limbs, eyes, ears or any other part of the body are not in order.
To redress this, the United Nations in 1992 moved to correct this societal ill by promoting a yearly observance known as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. December 3 of every year is set aside the world over to identify with and give succour to physically challenged persons.
When the Akwa Ibom state government, through its Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, marked the 2017 observance day recently on December 28 in Uyo, the state capital, StraightNews was there to catch the thrills of the moments.
The event, which was held at Ibom Hall Grounds, was massively attended by physically challenged persons in their thousands from across the state. Some who came from far distances, arrived at the venue filled with buses. The crowd was extremely thick with people having one physical impairment or the other.
It was indeed heart-melting to see the large number of people struggling through life. The mood of the event was unsteady as it was juggling between dolour and glee. There were camouflages of assumed excitement on the faces of participants but a closer look would reveal those dire inward grieves.
Some of the participants were seen sitting on the bare floor, under the scorching sun and waiting for the largesse. The sight seemed very similar to that on the streets where disabled persons sit by the roadside to beg for alms.
A handful of the participants smiled home with new wheelchairs, others were given new clutches. Some blind people became proud owners of new white canes. Empowerment items such as sewing machines, salon kits, other items as well as stipends were also shared to them.
StraightNews observed that some able-bodied were also on the ground pretending to be physically challenged to partake in the eleemosynary act. Such persons were readily fished out by officials of the ministry and security operatives who supervised the dispersal of the gifts.
Mrs. Glory Edet, state commissioner for women affairs and social welfare, who addressed the disabled persons, encouraged them to take advantage of the enabling environment created by the state government to better their lots.
Edet further tasked them to live their dreams as well as contribute their quota to the advancement of the society irrespective of their challenges.
“To all persons with disabilities, I wish to use this even to encourage all of you to make optimum use of the enabling environment and inherent resources created by government to improve yourselves,” she said.
A sharply dressed blind man who later introduced himself as Rev. Titus David Ndon, the district superintendent in charge of all Full Gospel Assembly (FULGA) churches in Cross River State, also spoke with StraightNews.
Telling his story, Ndon, 65, said that he was diagnosed with glaucoma and totally lost his sight three years ago. Even though he admitted that life has not been easy, he maintained that he encourages himself in “the Lord”.
While appreciating the state government for remembering people with disabilities, Ndon said that there was room for improvement owing to the fact that the stipends given to them are not enough to change their lives.
“I think government t should upgrade the stipends. I thought this year will be N10,000. The last year they gave us N4,000 and the person who took me there collected N1,000 from me. I think with the current economic situation in the country, someone can end up spending all that money on transportation alone and nothing will be left by the time they get home,” he posited.
Enobong Daniel Udo, a native of Eket Local Government Area of the state, is a cripple. She said that she would prefer empowerment programmes to the stipends given to them. “I am a hairdresser and I make beads too, I do not beg on the streets. The problem is that I do not have money to rent a shop. That is a major setback for my business.
“Rather than give us these stipends, I would prefer them to open a place for us to work. We have things to do. Give us enough money to establish ourselves. Those who are receiving items other than money are ones who have people in government,” she said.
Professor Ini Jonah, while speaking with StraightNews, suggested that the state government should apportion at least five per cent for the employment of people living with disabilities.
Jonah, who is an associate professor in the University of Uyo, also opined the creating of a sporting competition in the state for the disabled, which according to him, would go a long way in giving them a sense of inclusion.
“Some percentages should be assigned for the employment of disabled people in Akwa Ibom state. I know that government is doing that but the percentage should be stepped up a bit. Two per cent was sometime suggested; today someone said 20 per cent should be allocated to them but I think that if government start with five per cent, if is still okay,” he submitted.
“I have been told that Akwa Ibom is the only state out of the 36 states in the country that is observing this day. In fact, I commend the governor and the commissioner for women affairs and social welfare. I am really impressed.
“I looked at the whole event and I realized that it is proper to have something like sports for the disabled in this state. I am going to coordinate it from my vantage position as an academic so that they too can recreate and participate in sport activities in a day like this,” he said.