CSO urges Borno to take PLWD census

By Sadiq Abubakar

Maiduguri

Network of Civil Society Organisations (NCSOs), Borno state chapter has called on Borno state government to conduct head count of persons living with disabilities (PLWD) in order to fast track the implementation of support services to the physically challenged persons.
Chairman of the organisation, Alhaji Ahmed Shehu, made the call yesterday at a rally to commemorate the 2017 International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Maiduguri.
He said the call was necessary in order to have a comprehensive data of persons with disability to facilitate proper planning and implementation of support programmes to them.
Ahmed added that, the lack of population data on persons with disabilities hindered effective implementation of programmes in the past that were designed to improve their social and economic well-being.
“The government should create an enabling environment for PLWD to attain their potentials because it is the only way to prevent them from street begging.
“Absence of data of persons with disabilities affect planning and interventions, hence the need to carry out census.
“Establishment of social protection programme is essential to guarantee their support and survival. Special programme for employment and education of the PLWD should be implemented in the state,” Shehu said.
The chairman further enjoined the United Nations agencies and development partners to accord priority of their interventions to persons with disabilities in the state.
Chairman of the Blind Association, Malam Umar Muhammad, also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to incorporate their members in the emergency food intervention programme in the state.
Muhammad lamented that persons with disabilities have not been benefiting from the food intervention programme in the state.
“We registered 41, 414 members, most of them were displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency. It is disheartening to see that we are not benefiting from the food intervention programme,” Umar said.
Muhammad also called on Governor Kashim Shettima to appoint their members into various political positions in the state in order for the blind to be represented in government.

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