Disabled persons demand free education, healthcare in Gombe

The Joint National Association for Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Gombe State on Saturday demanded inclusion in governance and access to quality healthcare, among other opportunities in the state.

The Chairman of JONAPWD in the state, Dr. Ishiyaku Adamu, who addressed journalists at a two-day stakeholders’ consultative forum meeting on the Gombe State Disability Bill, lamented that persons with disabilities had suffered over the years due to the state government’s failure to domesticate the National Disability Bill

He said the development had affected the socioeconomic development of disabled persons in the state.

Adamu said: “Persons With Disabilities over the years have been neglected and they lack opportunities in almost all aspects of life. Today, we have come with stakeholders to talk about how Gombe State Government can support and sign the Gombe State Disability Bill, which has been done in 14 states so far across the country.

“The bill talks about free education for people with disability, persons with disability lack opportunities so they are not educated.

“There is a relationship between poverty and disability. Most of the parents of persons with disabilities lack funds to carter for their wards. Even those with opportunities don’t see it as a priority and they prioritise other things.

“But if the government makes education free for PWDs it will go a long way to making persons with disabilities part of the society and not a liability for the community the same as healthcare. PWDs are facing pre-existing health issues particularly those with spinal cord injuries and access to healthcare is very expensive.

“It’s very difficult and less than one percent has access to published materials. Most of the textbooks or reading materials in schools and even for leisure are not in a format that a blind person can read.”