Nigeria Content Online

The Disabled
Persons Empowerment Foundation (DPEF) wants more of its members to be
given the opportunity in governance to contribute their quota to
national development.

Mr Parkins Uzor,
Chief Executive Officer of the foundation made the call in an interview
with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki, Abia State on
Monday.

He stressed that the Federal Government can do this by integrating more persons with disabilities in governance.

According to him,
when people are not represented in any way in government, it is
difficult for them to influence or sponsor bills that will affect their
lives.

He said, “Any
democratic dividend from the three tiers of government without full and
total emancipation of people living with disabilities is a monumental
failure.

“Persons with
disabilities have all it takes to economic prosperity. We have the
political energy and momentum. Our strength for economic growth is
undisputable.

“There is no
provision in the constitution which says people living with
disabilities are not entitled to holding public offices or elective
positions.” Mr Uzor called for the creation of a Disabled Persons
Welfare Fund and a Ministry for the Physically Challenged where funds
recovered from corrupt officials should be kept for effective use.

He said some sections of the public are not concerned about the plight of persons with disabilities.

“They keep creating awareness that people living with disabilities should not be stigmatised.

“Our problem is not stigmatisation but empowerment. If we are being empowered, nobody will stigmatise us,” he said.