By Onuminya Innocent
The Joint National Association of People with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Birnin Kebbi Local Government Chapter of Kebbi State, have commended Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for extending unparalleled Sallah packages to them.
The group’s Chairman, Alhaji Umaru Abubakar Takalau, made the commendation in Birnin Kebbi, Thursday when he commented on the magnanimity of Governor Bagudu towards them.
According to Takalau, “The members of the association have never had it so good like now in the history of Kebbi State.
“No governor, I repeat, no governor, no administration had remembered our members in this direction, like Governor Bagudu. Only the Almighty Allah can reward him abundantly.
“The governor has carved a niche for himself and we will never forget. We will continue to pray for him fervently.”
The chairman also pledged to continue to collectively work towards ensuring the success of the state government’s programmes and policies.
One of the beneficiaries, Usman Tasha, also expressed happiness with the gesture and prayed fervently to God to protect and guide the governor in his quest to develop the state.
“Let me say Alhamdulillah, I give thanks to God and Governor Bagudu for his Sallah benevolence. We received cash and some food items, I am very much happy,” he said.
Confirming the release of Sallah monetary assistance to the various groups of people with disabilities in the state, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aishatu Maikurata, said the gesture was from the governor.
According to her, the governor had directed that all the leaders of persons with disabilities in all the 21 local government areas of the state be handed their welfare for onward distribution to their members.
“In all the 21 LGAs, I made sure that we deal directly with the leadership of persons with disabilities who will share the money to their members. This is a directive and staff of my ministry complied without any hesitation.
“To ensure accountability and transparency in the exercise, my staff issued forms to their leaders which they filled and signed,” she said.
In a related development, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Hassan Muhammad Shallah, has expressed delight with Governor Bagudu for transforming the state into a “plausible Welfarist state”.
Speaking on the Sallah largesse to a cross section of the people of the state by Bagudu, Shallah said: “The people of the state are evenly reaping myriad of dividends of democracy.
“They ranged from assorted developmental projects like roads, hospitals, water and electricity supplies, education and other people-oriented programmes and policies.
“Others are several poverty alleviation programmes aimed at further empowering the various strata of the people of the state, especially the vulnerable groups.
“That was why Kebbi State has remained a pacesetter and a trailblazer. It has remained the most peaceful and harmonious state in the country.”
Also commenting, the state Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and Chairman of Jega Local Government, Mr. Shehu Marshall, said all the people in the 23 local governments of the state were not left out in the sharing of the Sallah packages. Thisday
