By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka
Abuja
The member representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Joshua Chinedu Obika has drawn the attention of the FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to the conditions of those living with disabilities in the nation’s capital.
The legislator gave the charge to the Minister when he invited those living with disabilities in his constituency to mark the Democracy Day with them on Thursday, as well as unite them and find a way forward for them.
Speaking on the need for the Minister to come to the rescue of the disabled community, he said that some of them were capable of doing one thing or the other if trained and empowered. By this, he advised the Minister to build a skill acquisition centre for them, enrol them there and empower each at the completion of his/her training.
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Secondly, he urged the Minister to buy special type of vehicles that will be plying all nooks and crannies of the FCT for the purpose of carrying them from their places to the areas they are going. He noted with dismay that some of them had thinking faculties like the able bodied persons and can contribute immensely to the society, if encouraged, but regretted that they couldn’t trek. According to him, a special kind of vehicle to be taking them out to the town or where they are going, coupled with training and empowering them would go a long way for them and the public in general.
Thirdly, he enjoined the FCT Minister to ensure that the group of people are considered in the FCT Health Insurance Scheme. While adding that the people living with disabilities don’t have all it takes to be enrolled in the FCT Health Insurance Scheme, Hon. Chinedu Joshua Obika therefore said that most of the members of the disability communities were not healthy and needed to be included in the health insurance scheme.
While advising those of them who are capable to do one thing or the other to use any opportunity they have to be creative and engage themselves in any skill, he reiterated the need for the government in the FCT to as a matter of urgency and necessity come to their rescue, even as he said that he has succeeded in uniting them together, so as to find a way forward for them. He also informed that he would make one of them his Special Assistant on Disabilities, who will be bringing up their challenges before his office.
