Ebonyi PWDs Demand Nwifuru’s Assent to Disability Bill, Better Welfare

From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki
Members of the Association of Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in Ebonyi State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the Government House, Centenary City, Abakaliki, demanding the governor’s assent to the Ebonyi State Disability Bill, enrollment of their members in the State Health Insurance Scheme, and improved welfare.
The protesters also appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to intervene over an alleged plan by the Ministry of Health to evict them from their state secretariat located at Pressco Junction in Abakaliki metropolis.
The group made its demands through its State Chairman, Comrade Friday Nwovu, during the peaceful protest in the state capital.
Nwovu said the association had, on several occasions, written to the relevant government agencies in an effort to resolve the quit notice allegedly issued to them by the Ministry of Health, but all their efforts had yielded no positive result.
According to him, “We are aware that the Ebonyi State Disability Bill is currently before Governor Francis Nwifuru awaiting his assent. We are using this opportunity to appeal to the governor to kindly sign the bill into law.
“We are also appealing to the state government to enroll our members in the existing Ebonyi State Health Insurance Scheme and restore our monthly subvention, which we enjoyed under previous administrations.
“As a matter of fact, we received monthly subventions from past governments, including the immediate past administration. We are, therefore, appealing to our peace-loving governor to restore the subvention in order to improve the welfare of our members and their families.
“We also want Governor Francis Nwifuru to consider appointing qualified persons living with disabilities into his administration, in line with his People’s Charter of Needs mantra, which promotes inclusiveness and equal opportunities for all citizens.
“Our most pressing concern, however, is for the governor to direct the Ministries of Health and Women Affairs to suspend their plan to evict us from our present secretariat.
“We are calling on him to intervene because of our condition. We cannot easily relocate to another secretariat that lacks the necessary facilities required to accommodate persons living with disabilities.
“We have written several letters to the relevant government authorities seeking a resolution of this matter, but all to no avail. That is why we have resorted to this peaceful protest.
“Yes, we have been served a quit notice by the Ministry of Health,” he stated.
Addressing the protesters, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prof. Emmanuel Echieagu, disclosed that Governor Francis Nwifuru had concluded plans to assent to the Ebonyi State Disability Bill. He also revealed that some members of the association had already been enrolled in the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Scheme.
He said, “I had earlier transmitted your previous appeals to the governor, and one of the requests was for assent to the State Disability Bill. I want to assure you that your appeal has been taken into consideration, and very soon the governor will sign the bill into law.
“The governor has also demonstrated his commitment to your welfare by approving the enrollment of some of your members into the State Health Insurance Scheme.”
Professor Echieagu further assured the protesters that his office would engage the relevant government agencies to ensure an amicable resolution of the dispute over the association’s secretariat.
The protesters displayed placards bearing various inscriptions, including: “Persons with Disabilities Are Human Beings and Should Be Treated with Dignity, Not Like Animals”; “Governor Nwifuru, Stop the Commissioner for Health from Evicting Us from Our State Secretariat”; and “Commissioner for Health, Leave Us Alone.”he adsd