By Chris Agbo, Abuja
The minister of State FCT, Haijah(Dr) Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu on Monday inaugurated the Persons with disabilities(PWDs) FCT committee on COVID-19. The inauguration took place at the flag-off of the distribution of relief materials to persons with disabilities in the FCT.
The Minister in her speech acknowledged that PWDs are the most vulnerable among the vulnerable groups, that the decision to use the leadership of the Disability groups to distribute the palliatives to the PWDs in FCT is to ensure that every PWDs in the FCT gets the palliatives. PWDs know more about themselves and they are in the better position to identify their people. She also said that FCTA believes in inclusion and it is what informed their reason to involve PWDs in the COVID-19 intervention.
Speaking further, she charged the committee to ensure that they discharge their duties with honesty. She informed them to follow the FCTA guidelines of reaching out to the beneficiaries. She said that every person with disability is qualified to get the palliatives and the committee should ensure that every qualified person with disability get the palliative.
Acknowledging that the number of persons with disabilities submitted to them are less the member of PWDs in FCT, she said that they increased the number of the relief materials provided and they are ready to improve if need be.
She said that about 3000 relief materials are provided for PWDs and the committee is expected to give a report on how they distributed the materials.
Mr. Jake Epelle while thanking the Minister for her gesture read out the names of members of the committee:
Alhaji Abdulmumuni Ujah(Chairman), Lois Auta( Vice Chairman), Abubakar Sharhu, Obinna Ekujereonye, Jake Epelle, Ephraim Omoregie and Beatrice Awala Mube.
The minister after officially inaugurating them, charge them to discharge their duties well and come back with good report. She emphasized that the Committee should not divert any of the materials and if it happens, she will know because people will not be happy. She advised the committee to expand their members to 9 because that is the standard number for committees in FCT for COVID-19. There are duties that will be assigned to each member of the committee.
The chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Ujah thanked the minister for including the persons with disabilities specially in the palliatives and assured her that the committee will not betray her trust, she will be pleased with the committee at the end of their duties.
Lois Auta speaking at event also thanked the minister for including the persons with disabilities and also assured her that the Palliatives will be distributed without any rancor and no one will be diverted.
There was a presentation of the relief materials to the committee members and other leaders of Disability community present at the event. The minister took time to display the content of the packaged relief materials, it is in two parts, one is the condiments and the other is 3kg and 5kg of rice. Inside the condiments, there are sachet of power oil that is equivalent to 1 litre of power oil, sachet of salt, sugar, semo, tomatoes, 3kg of beans and 3kg of garri.
Some notable leaders of the Disability community are Saraki, Chief of Karmajiji Disability Colony, Dr. Chike Okogwu, Lawrence Idemudia, Paul Ihekwoaba, Ina Ejindu Obasi, Misbau Lawal Didi, Agbo Christian ED, The Qualitative Magazine, Donald Unaka and many others.
The Qualitative Magazine learnt that in the coming days, the Committee will come up with some modalities for the distribution of the relief materials and commence the distribution.
