By Monday Ajogun
The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), with funding from the Ford Foundation, has called for the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in implementing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 in host communities in Edo
The group made the call on Saturday during an advocacy visit to the traditional ruler of Oben in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, the Enogie (Duke), His Royal Highness Fred Ogiemwonyi.
The Coordinator of the group, Chief Bartholomew Okoudo, said PWDs should not be regarded merely as beneficiaries of development.
He said they should also be recognised as stakeholders and active participants in community development.
Okoudo said implementing the PIA 2021 provided an opportunity to promote inclusive development and ensure that nobody was left behind because of disability.
He urged traditional rulers and relevant community structures to identify PWDs, ensure their adequate representation and consult them on decisions concerning host community development projects and programmes.
According to him, PWDs should have equitable access to empowerment programmes, skills acquisition, employment opportunities and other benefits arising from host community development.
He said their specific needs and concerns should be considered during community development planning, project design and implementation.
Okoudo noted that traditional rulers had important roles to play in promoting disability inclusion because of their influence and understanding of their communities’ needs and realities.
He appealed to the Enogie to champion disability inclusion in Oben and ensure that PWDs participated in decisions concerning community development and benefits arising from the PIA.
He stressed that the advocacy was not intended to create conflict or demand preferential treatment but to promote fairness, equity, dignity, participation and inclusion.
Earlier, the Enogie, Ogiemwonyi, assured the delegation of his support, promising to work with the group for the benefit of PWDs in his community.
Ogiemwonyi said disability should not prevent anyone from achieving greatness, stressing that physical challenges did not diminish a person’s intellectual capacity or ability to contribute meaningfully to society.
He expressed concern that PWDs were not receiving adequate attention from some leaders and urged political officeholders to fulfil their campaign promises.
The traditional ruler promised to examine the issues raised by the delegation and draw the attention of oil companies operating in his domain to their concerns.
He also assured the group that he would continue to support the advocacy and remain accessible whenever the need arose.
The delegation highlighted the challenges faced by PWDs, including discrimination and limited access to education, and called on community leaders and other stakeholders to support efforts to address them.
Also speaking, Mr Joshua Izekor, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Deaf Association, appealed to the traditional ruler to help ensure that PWDs had access to education.
Izekor, who spoke through a sign language interpreter, said many people in rural communities lacked access to education.
He urged the traditional ruler to sensitise community members to the importance of educating children with disabilities.
Another member of the delegation, Mr Edwin Aigbekaen, said the visit aimed to enlighten PWDs in the community about their rights and promote their inclusion in decision-making processes.
Aigbekaen thanked the traditional ruler for receiving the delegation and appealed to him to support efforts to ensure that PWDs participated in decisions concerning the development of their community. (NAN)
AJOM/KOO
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