Sen Katung Awards Scholarships To PLWDs

Senator representing Kaduna South senatorial district, Barr. Sunday Marshall Katung, has awarded scholarships to persons living with disabilities (PLWDs) in his senatorial district.

Katung made the announcement on the occasion of the 2023 International Day for Persons with Disabilities in Kafanchan, Jema’a local government area of Kaduna State.

Awarding the scholarship on Sunday in Kafanchan, venue of the 2023 celebration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, the senator said the beneficiaries were selected from each of the eight local government areas that made up the senatorial district.

Katung recently gave out scholarships to over 200 students of higher institutions from the eight local government areas of his senatorial district.

Represented by the former Kaduna State commissioner for commerce, Mr Edward Marsha, Senator Katung, reaffirmed his unwavering determination to ensure inclusiveness and integration of persons with disabilities in the senatorial district.

“I have resolved to include you in my activities, given that persons with disabilities have historically been marginalized and have often been among those left furthest behind,” he said.

The lawmaker appealed to the people to continue to be law abiding, even as he pledged to continue to lobby for meaningful projects for the senatorial district.

Earlier, the chairman, Southern Kaduna Association of Persons with Disabilities, Mr Habila Achi, thanked the senator for also ensuring that persons with disabilities were included in the list of those to benefit from the three months federal government’s palliatives.

He said this year’s celebration has the theme, “United in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for, with and by persons with disabilities.”

In a keynote address, the executive director of Heart-to-Heart Inclusive Education Foundation, Salome Luka Net, stressed that the road to achieving the SDGs is one that requires the collective effort of every individual, with and by persons with disabilities.

She lamented the level of discrimination, stigmatization and lack of accessible infrastructure, education, employment and health as obstacles they encounter daily.

In his remarks, the centre manager, Disability Affairs Centre Kafanchan, Mr Gideon Haruna, said persons living with disability needs the support and care of all and sundry.