Persons With Disabilities Seek Special Agency

Persons with Disabilities have advocated for the creation of a Special Rapid Response Agency that would be responsible for the needs of the physically challenged.

Nasarawa State women leader of the Association of Physically Challenged Persons, Mrs Asaaba Aveson, made the call during the distribution of relief materials for flood victims in Lafia, the state capital.

She said the existence of such an agency would ensure prompt intervention and care for the physically challenged persons in the event of any disaster.

According to her, physically challenged persons require better attention, adding that lack of a designated institution to take care of their needs is seriously affecting them.

LEADERSHIP reports that the distribution of relief items was the initiative of the federal government under the National Special Economic and Livelihood Intervention for 2022 Flood Affected Persons and the Most Vulnerable anchored by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The items distributed include water pumps, sewing and grinding machines, mattresses as well as food and toiletries.

Director general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Ahmed Mustapha while flagging off the distribution of the relief materials said the intervention was targeted at giving succour to households who lost all their means of livelihoods as a result of floods in their areas.

The director general, represented by the Nasarawa State Programme Supervisor of the National Special Economic and Livelihood Intervention for Flood Affected Persons and the Most Vulnerable, Alhaji Tukur Abubakar said the federal government would continue to remain responsive to the citizens especially the vulnerable during disasters.

Nasarawa State executive director Emergency Management Agency, Mr Zachary Allumaga said  the intervention was essentially for the most affected flood victims.

Mr Zachary who dismissed insinuations that the items were fuel subsidy palliatives, called on residents of the state to desist from building structures along water ways.