By Lawrence Njoku, Enugu,
Gov’s strides at SMEs centre inspired academy, says Speaker’s wife
Persons with disabilities, under the auspices of Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Enugu State, have called on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to consider them for political appointments.
Members of the association, who made the appeal, yesterday, at the celebration of the 2022 International Day of the Persons with disabilities (IDPD), also called on the governor to domesticate the Disability Act, now before the state House of Assembly.
The state Chairman of JONAPWD, Onyebuchi Mba, said many of their members are qualified to be given political appointments such as commissioners, Special Advisers (SAs), Special Assistants (SAs) and Senior Special Assistants (SSAs).
He added that they needed a desk office at the Government House to serve as a direct link between the public, PWDs and government, as well as a yearly subvention to enable them sustain and maintain their office and other needs.
He lamented that the inability of the state to domesticate the Disability Act has affected them adversely.
Ugwuanyi, represented at the occasion by the founder, Heroine Women Foundation (HWF), Mrs. Onyinye Mamah, promised that the Disability Law would be domesticated in the state before the end of his administration, next year.
In another development, the governor has inaugurated Rancsfard Fashion and Skill Academy, a skill acquisition centre that provides a platform for participants, especially the youths, to acquire skills in fashion and design, makeup artistry, baking and pastry production, photography and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the academy, and wife of the Speaker, state House of Assembly, Lady Princess Ubosi, said she was inspired by Ugwuanyi’s “strides in building capacity among youths through skill acquisition programmes, anchored by the Enugu Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Centre,” to establish the facility.
Ubosi added that her decision was also borne out of a desire to create a platform, where individuals, especially youths, can acquire lifelong entrepreneurial skills, which will help reduce the high rate of unemployment in the society, and ensure a productive future for young people.
