Chima Azubuike
North-East Development Commission, on Friday, donated prosthetic legs, wheelchairs and crutches to Persons with Disabilities under the aegis of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities in Gombe State.
While thanking the commission for the donation, the Gombe State Chairman of JONAPWD, Dr Ishiyaku Adamu, said the gesture shows that his members are part of the system and indicates that NEDC is geared towards ensuring development for all.
According to him, “We intend to distribute this to our members across the 11 Local Government Areas. We have a committee responsible for distribution. They will identify those in dire need of these materials and those who can’t afford it.”
Adamu added, “Three people in each of the LGAs will get wheelchairs, five will get crutches, five to get legs (prosthetic), for below and above the knee. In total 20 will benefit from each local government and Gombe LGA will get 30.”
While commenting on the Disability Bill, which had scaled through first and second readings, he further said, “We are full of joy because, for the past 15 years, we have been agitating for the passage and assent but we thank the governor for taking the bill personally to the house. We are hopeful that in the next sitting, the committee will engage JONAPWD to get our feedback so that the bill will be passed. We have already received the commitment of the governor that the bill will be assented to the moment he receives it.”
The NEDC Gombe State acting Coordinator, Rufai Baba-Manu, on his part, said “The Commission has always worked round the clock to ensure that everyone is carried along. This is part of the Managing Director’s drive to ensure that people with special needs are cared for.
“This shows that we are not discriminatory in any way and we want to show that we are part of them. We are focusing today on 150 of those with challenges that have to do with the leg 150 of them are benefitting.”
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