ANAMBRA STATE DISABILITY RIGHTS COMMISSION APPOINTS LIAISON OFFICERS

REPORTER: OGEMDI OKONGWU

Anambra State Disability Rights Commission says it is fully committed to the vision of Governor Chukwuma Soludo to pull persons with disabilities out of poverty in the state.

To this end, the Commission has appointed liaison officers in all the 326 wards, communities and local government areas to deepen the provision of disability services at the grassroots.

Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Chuks Ezewuzie, who stated this during a news briefing in Awka, said the appointments were part of plans to improve on the welfare of persons with disabilities in the state.

Mr. Ezewuzie explained that the liaison officers had been mandated to collate data of their members and forward same to the commission to know how best to assist them, stressing that the process would be prioritized on a first come, first served basis.

According to Ezewuzie, anyplace where a disability issue has been identified will be named a disability service centre and a representative selected from among the traditional and religious leaders, local government chairmen, Presidents-General (PGs) and other town union executive to assist at the centres.

He also intimated that the commission, besides visiting the centres occasionally to inform the PWDs of its activities, would create a cooperative society and an access market pavilion to showcase their products and skills.

It would also enroll them in the state’s one youth, one skill programme and distribution of cash crops to farmers among them.

Mr.Ezewuzie hinted that the commission’s second plan to achieve the governor’s vision was to set up a Persons with Disabilities Fund, which would be supported by international donors and headed by Bishop Moses Ezedebeago.

The Commission’s boss expressed gratitude to the Soludo administration for providing them with state of the art equipment and the United States Government for sponsoring two of their members for the Mandela-Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders for two years in a row.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU