A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), says the failure of Abia State government to send blind persons from the state to a rehabilitation centre in Lagos amounts to neglecting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the state.

Executive Director of CCD, David Anyaele, told newsmen in Umuahia, Thursday that Abia State government has failed in the past three years to send people with fresh cases of blindness that are indigenes to the Nigeria Farm Craft Centre for the Blind for rehabilitation.

“To demonstrate the extent of Abia State government neglect of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, the state government for the past three years has failed to send Abia blind citizens to the Nigeria Farm Craft Centre for the Blind for the rehabilitation of newly blind citizens.

“This has led to other states taking the slot of Abia State at the centre. This challenge is compounded by absence of policy and legal framework to protect citizens with disabilities from discrimination and other harmful practices at state and federal level,” Anyaele said.

“We call on the state government to urgently address the issue of sponsoring Abia blind citizens to Nigeria Farm Craft Centre for the Blind for training, rehabilitation and integration into the society,” he added.

He said CCD was happy with Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, for appointing three Special Assistants on disability matters as well as the ongoing distribution of wheelchairs to physically challenged persons in his ‘Thank You’ visits to all the local government areas of the state but was quick to point out that not providing necessary tools needed by the appointees to discharge their responsibilities smacks of ridiculing the PWDs.

CCD said: “A situation where individuals appointed as Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants to the Governor on disability matters have no office, let alone staff, to do their job is a disdain treatment, a further ridiculing of the disability community in Abia State.

“These individuals have no clear roles and responsibility hence they wonder about from one office to the other, begging for assistance to procure materials as little as stationary. Available evidence shows that these appointees lack capacity and capabilities to advise the Governor on government programmes and its implications to citizens with disability.

“We appeal to Abia State Government to send Governor’s Appointees on Disability Matters to local and international training programmes to enhance their capacity to respond to needs of citizens with disabilities.

“It is unfair for Abia State Government to appoint Persons with Disabilities into office without provision for office accommodation and equipment and other materials necessary to do the work; as such we request the state government to provide and furnish reasonable accommodation for these Appointees to enable them deliver their roles and responsibilities.”