Over 600,000 of People Living With Disabilities (PWDs) in Anambra state under the auspices of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has unveiled its charter of demands, insisting on voting a governorship candidate ready to deliver on them.
The charter, among other things, demands full implementation of the Anambra state 2018 Disability Rights Law including establishment of Disability Commission, continuous employment of PWDs, allotment of more political offices to PWDs, extension of years of services for PWDs, introduction of social protection programmes, housing schemes, scholarship and improved healthcare.
The state Chairman of JONAPWD, Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, while presenting the charter at Awka during interactive forum organised by the association to interact with governorship candidates of the 18 political parties participating on the state November 6 poll, said their members had become politically aware.
“The reason why we gathered here is not purposely to make money from the gubernatorial candidates. But for a serious engagement between persons with disabilities and the gubernatorial candidates from various political parties for the forthcoming election in the state which is first of its kinds since the creation of Anambra state.
“Direct objectives of the programme include to cordial relate with political stakeholders, discuss and have a common understanding on the stakes in an inclusive government, evaluate all options on the basis of merit to better inform the political choices of the persons with disabilities and mobilisation of PWDs to participate actively in the forthcoming election. It will provide opportunities for all the gubernatorial candidates to inform us what their party has done in the past for PWDs and the plans they have for us as written in their manifestoes,” he said.
Unfortunately, only the governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Andy Uba was represented at the event by one Hon. Chukwuemeka Ezeokwuma, with a promissory note, while contestants across other political parties neither attended, nor sent in a representative.
Speaking on the development, some members of JONAPWD, Mr Chizoba Okafor, Mr Ikechukwu Ezeokafor and Miss Nkechi Obi, described it as unfortunate and negiligence, stressing that they would pay back with their voters cards on November 6.
