The wife of the Enugu State governor, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi has promised that her office would liaise with the state government and other agencies with a view to creating special aids to suit the special needs of the disabled and the less privileged in the society.
These aids, according to her would come in the areas of special parking lots in public places, special entrance aids to public facilities such as banks, hospitals, churches among others.
On the issue of the passing into law of the Special Needs Bill for the disabled and the less privileged, Mrs. Ugwuanyi disclosed that her office would liaise with the appropriate quarters to make it a reality towards empowering them in the state.
She made these promises when the Enugu State Civil Society Disability Policy Partnership group paid her a courtesy visit in her office in Government House, Enugu.
She equally expressed her immense gratitude as she received the Voice of the Handicapped Award from the group describing it as the precious award from the most precious persons.
Mrs. Ugwuanyi also charged disabled persons in the state to speak out on issues and matters bordering them for an amicable solution by government and other philanthropic individuals by being innovative as well as believing themselves.
Earlier in an address, the National Co-ordinator, Enugu State Civil Society Disability Policy Partnership, Comrade Samuel Obiefuna, enjoined the Enugu State Government to facilitate the passing into law the Special Needs Bill for the disabled persons in the state before the State House of Assembly.
Comrade Obiefuna who led other members of his group to her office explained that the Special Needs Bill for the disabled persons in the state which incidentally could not be passed into law by the 5th Enugu State House of Assembly, had exposed the disabled persons and the less privileged in the state to untold hardship. He therefore, appealed to government to appoint a Special Adviser to the Governor on Disability Matters in order to involve the group in government affairs
He further enumerated other challenges facing the group in the state to include; non-remittance of fund meant for the group by the State Ministry of Gender Affairs as well as other donations and grants from federal government such as cars, wheel chairs, clutches among others.
Speaking, the Arch Bishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Emmanuel Olisa Chukwu observed that the issues and challenges of the disabled persons and the less privileged in the state was not dully addressed by the past regimes and appealed to the state government to remedy the situation.
He enjoined Her Excellency to intervene in some of the issues facing the handicapped in the state by reforming the State Ministry of Gender Affairs so that whatever that is due and meant for them by government and other philanthropic individuals and organizations would be delivered to them without hitches.
