The joint national Association of persons living with disabilities Anambra state chapter has organised an interactive forum to buttress inclusiveness in governance for governorship candidates in the build-up for the governorship elections in the state.
The media and Townhall engagement which had hundreds of local government coordinators representing the community was tagged Interactive Forum Between Governorship Candidates and Persons with Disabilities and held on Tuesday, 21st September 2021, at St. Mathew’s Catholic Church Podium Amawbia.
In his opening address, State Chairman of JONAPWD, Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke stated that over 700,000 persons living with disabilities in Anambra state have decided that their votes must count in the forthcoming, and as such, the association is looking for a candidate that has an inclusive plan that would continue to see issues of persons with disabilities from the angle of rights instead of charity.
Okeke noted that the disability community would not be happy to see their involvement in governance drop against the current high level of engagement initiated by the incumbent Governor Willie Obiano’s administration with persons with disabilities. He further noted that it was for these reasons JONAPWD Anambra invited all the party candidates which include APC, PDP, APGA, YPP, ZLP, Accord Party, Action Alliance, Labour Party, amongst others to come forward with their already documented programs which bother on the inclusion of persons with disabilities so as to gain their support.
Lamenting on the failure of the gubernatorial candidates to honour their invitation, comrade Ugochukwu Okeke released the association’s charter of demand to all the candidates and their political parties for securing their votes come November 6th.
Some of the demands include the establishment of disability rights commission, continuous employment of persons with disabilities, allotment of more political offices to persons with disabilities, an extension of their years of service, social protection programme for them, housing scheme for them, scholarship and health care facilities for the community.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to Governor Obiano on Disability Matters, Barr. Chuks Ezewuzie expressed disappointment at the governorship candidate’s failure to honour their invitation. Highlighting the inclusiveness of the community in the APGA administration, he urged the association members to consider APGA for sustainability purposes.
However, a representative of the APC Governorship candidate, Senator Andy Uba Campaign Organisation, Hon. Chukwuemeka Ezeugoma Mascot while apologizing for the absence of his principal announced a donation of N200,000 on behalf of Senator Uba. Thanking the Association for coordinating themselves in an exemplary manner He noted that Andy Uba in his manifesto already proposed the creation Ministry of Disability Affairs to take proper care of persons with disabilities in the state if voted into power, as he believes strongly that disability is not inability.
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