Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has said that the inclusion of People With Disabilities (PWD) has become the cornerstone of his administration.
This came as the governor was urged to embark on full domestication of the disability law and disability commission, promote inclusive education, and establish vocational rehabilitation centres in each of the three senatorial zones in Ekiti State.
Governor Oyebanji stated that his government is intentional in its policies and actions regarding issues concerning people with disabilities and noted that reforms introduced have positively impacted PWDs in the state.
He spoke in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, at the 36th annual conference of the Nigeria Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET).
The governor, who was represented at the event by the secretary to the State Government, Prof Habibat Adubiaro, added that the creation of the office of Special Education and Social Inclusion and Agency for Disabilities Affairs, backed by the Ekiti State Disability Laws are some of the strategic moves responsible for the success witnessed in the area of inclusion.
In his keynote address, the governor listed some measures to include the establishment of Ekiti’s first therapy centre in Ado-Ekiti, free sessions, meals, and transport for Persons with Disabilities, upgrading facilities at the state’s three special schools to global standards with cutting-edge equipment and trained specialists, and preparing students for national examinations like WAEC and UME, with many securing university admissions.
According to the governor, other administration programmes include economic empowerment, vocational training, trade certifications, and start-up grants for PWDs. He added that all PWDs now have access to free healthcare statewide.
He urged participants to make the conference result-oriented with workable policies and recommendations, knowing that the success of advocacy to improve the lives of people with disabilities is a collective responsibility.
Earlier, the national president of the association, Dr Catherine James Atteng, hailed Governor Oyebanji as Champion of Disability Inclusion in the country, saying such kind gestures are needed to unleash and maximise the latent potential of persons with disabilities so that they too can be economically and socially self-reliant.
She said Governor Oyebanji became a voice for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) by embedding inclusivity into state policy, stressing that by doing so, the Governor has also made Ekiti a “model for Nigeria”.
In her welcome address as the host, Princess Adetoun Agboola, the governor’s special adviser on special education and social inclusion, thanked the Governor for providing necessary support for the PWD community and special schools in the state.
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