Persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Kogi state have appealed to Ahmed Ododo, the state governor, to create more employment opportunities for their members in the state civil service.
Samuel Mark, leader of the group, made the appeal during their visit to the Government House in Lokoja to congratulate the governor on his first year in office.
Mark noted that even the Kogi Office for Disability Affairs has only one PWD among its staff, describing the situation as “disappointing”.
He added that many PWDs in Kogi are highly qualified, with degrees and even postgraduate qualifications, including doctors and nurses who remain unemployed.
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“We, hereby, appeal to your excellency to consider us and employ more of us in that office. We believe that this step, if taken, shall reduce the level of unemployment in the state. It will equally prove that the office belongs to us, the PWDs,” Mark said.
“It may interest you to know that there are graduates and people with master degrees among us, yet none is being considered for employment. The worse scenario is the doctors and nurses among us, who are still unemployed.”
In his response, Ododo, represented by Sunday Faleke, the commissioner for special duties and intergovernmental affairs, assured them that their concerns would be addressed in the next recruitment exercise.
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He urged associations catering for PWDs in the state to compile and submit data of all eligible and employable members to the Kogi Office for Disability Affairs to facilitate the process.
Solomon Yahyah, chairman of the Joint Association for Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Kogi state, appealed to the governor to reinstate the stipends provided for PWDs under Yahaya Bello, the former governor.
Yahyah also urged the state government to increase the palliative support allocated to PWDs to alleviate their challenges.
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