From Our Correspondent in Makurdi
The Personal Assistant to Gov. Hyacinth Alia on Disability Matters, Mr Bem Anshe, appealed to all the 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to establish Disability Commissions to assist in championing the cause of people with disabilities.
Anshe made the appeal during the consultative meeting with stakeholders on the needs and rights of people with special needs on Monday in Makurdi.
He said that if the commissions were established they would be in the vanguard of of pushing for the implementation of all matters related with people with special needs.
He lamented that Benue was yet to domesticate the law on disabilities, urging relevant stakeholders to step up the process for its speedy domestication in the state.
He further encouraged Nigerians to look beyond disabilities but they should focus on the potentials of the people with special needs, adding that they should work very hard to change the stigmatisation associated with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the Director-General (DG), Benue State Bureau of International Cooperation and Development, Mr Leo-Angelo Viashima,
assured that the governor had taken steps to domesticate the law and implement other policies on disabilities.
Viashima said that 49 policies were to reviewed, stressing that as soon as work would be completed on it, it would be signed by the governor.
Also, the Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr Fidelis Mnyim, assured that the bill would be forwarded to the state assembly in no distant time.
The Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Creativity, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange, assured that he was working for the passage of the bill because of its importance.
Program Manager, Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Mr Stephen Idoko, said that it was the desire of IFA for the state to domesticate the act.
"Whether it is an executive bill or private bill it does not matter. All we want is for the people with disabilities to know and have their rights taken care of. However, if it comes as executive bill it will make the process easier," Idoko said.
He encouraged the Media to amplify the challenges of people with disabilities so that the government and other spirited individuals would come to their aid.
A Benue Assembly member for Guma, Mr Peter Uche, said that the house would pass it speedily as soon as it got to them.
The Chairperson on people living with Albinoism in Benue, Miss Jacinta Igwilo, 10 to 20 people with Albino die of skin cancer monthly in Nigeria, stressing that they needed to be educated on how to manage themselves and take care of their skins to avoid cancer.
Igwilo further lamented that most of the people or children who were abino were out of school because their parents were poor to cater for their educational needs such as buying reading glasses and quality sunshades.
"They face a lot of stigma and discrimination and most of them have been denied several opportunities," Igwilo said.
