Indications are rife that relevant government authorities in Akwa Ibom State would accord persons living with disabilities respect and pay more attention to their plights.
The Speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey gave the words of assurance when a renowned NGO, Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Lagos in partnership with Friends of the Needy, FONO, Uyo paid a fact-finding visit on him in his office.
Bassey who was represented by Rt. Hon. Felicia Bassey, his deputy, described as pathetic and deplorable, the challenges facing women living with disabilities.
He pledged the readiness of the House to work with the visiting NGOs and other stakeholders to ensure that the rights of these people are upheld and made functional through facilitating the enabling bill passed into law to become an Act.
The speaker lauded Project Alert and Friends of the Needy, FONO, for their love for humanity, and called for a state wide sensitization and mass community programs aimed at creating awareness on the need for positive change in behaviour towards women living with disabilities.
Speaking earlier, Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, the Executive Director and Founder of Project Alert on Violence Against Women, had said they were in the Assembly to intimate the Speaker on the report of a research by her organisation on gender-based violence and women with disabilities conducted in selected local government areas in the three Senatorial districts of the state.
Effah-Chukwuma, a medical doctor, lamented that the state recorded a high rate of abuse, discrimination, exclusion and violence against persons living with disabilities, and sued for an urgent need to address these acts of dehumanization against the vulnerable persons.
In attendance were the member representing Etinan State Constituency, Barr. Enefiok Dennis, his Itu counterpart, Hon. Kufreabasi Edidem and the Clerk of the House, Mrs. Mandu Umoren.
The NGO also paid a similar advocacy visit to Rev. Dr. Ndueso Ekwere, the State chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, represented by the National Secretary, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ebitu and other executive members also drew support for the project.
Ekwere pledged CAN’s readiness to reach out to churches state wide for effective sensitization and change in attitudes of members of the public towards persons with disabilities.
Moreover, the team visited Ministry of Justice where the permanent secretary, speaking through the Director, Legal, Barr. Mrs. Mfon Edemekong assured the team of her ministry’s cooperation and team work.
At the Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, and Civil Service Commission, the Permanent secretaries, Mrs. Margaret Edem and Mrs. Rose Bassey respectively, commended Project Alert and FONO for embarking on the life-saving project, and extended a hand of support and cooperation to them to enhance the cause of women living with disabilities in the state.
On the visiting team were Mrs. Eme Atakpo of FONO, Dr. Aniefiok Ukommi of the University of Uyo and Mrs. Offiong Bassey, the State Chairman of the Association of Persons Living with Disabilities.
