TQM report,
The Emir of Anka and Chairman, Zamfara Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad has called on government at all levels to provide special allocation of political offices to people with disabilities in the state.
The Monarch made the call in Gusau on Tuesday at the public hearing on disability bill organized by the state house of assembly committee on Women and Children Affairs with support of Ukaid funded NGO, Save the Children International (SCI).
The SCI is supporting Zamfara government in expanding Social protection programmes in the state.
A private member bill was sponsored by one of the members of the house, Salihu Zurmi (PDP, Zurmi West Constituency) who is also a person with disability.
The emir noted that people with special needs deserved special treatment considering their nature, “we should changed from traditional habit of neglecting them”.
“Majority of them has the capacity to contribute in governance and general development of the society.
“I am therefore appealing to government at all levels to include them in various political appointments”, the emir explained.
In his remark, the Speaker, Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Nasiru Magarya expressed delight with the contributions of all stakeholders in the hearing.
Magarya described the hearing as successful as it received various contributions from stakeholders.
“This is what will help us to provide laws inline with the interest of our people.
“We are proud with this private member bill sponsored by one of us, Hon Salihu Zurmi who is one of the person’s with disability in the state.
“We are going to complete the remaining legislative process of this bill and passed it.
“We have confidence that Gov Bello Matawalle will sign this bill it into law as he has special concern on persons with special need.”, the Speaker added.
The SCI official, Nura Muhammad assured that the SCI will continue to partner with the state government in promoting inclusion in various social protection programmes and activities in the state.
The North West Representatives in the National Disability Commission, Hajiya Amina Audu called more inclusion of people with special needs in various opportunities in the education sector.
Audu noted that education has promoted various persons with special needs to the elevated positions.
The Chairman, Zamfara Social Protection Platform, (ZSPP), Nasiru Biyabiki said the bill if passed in to law will help in promoting inclusion of all categories of persons with disability in various sectors of societal development.
During the event, various stakeholders including MDAs, NGOs, CSOs and Associations presented position papers as contributions to the bill.
