The Chairman of Joint Natonal Association of Persons With Disabilities, JNAPWD, in Benue State, Mr. Peter Iorkighir has said that People with Disabilities, PWDs, were the worst hit in all the security challenges that had confronted the state.
Mr. Iorkighir, who stated this while speaking to our correspondent in Makurdi, emphasized the need to give peace a chance for the progress of the state and wellbeibg of all citizens.
The chairman said it had become necessary to call attention to the plight of PWDs in the state.
Iorkighir noted that while the herder/farmer conflicts raged in the state, persons with disability suffered most as according to him, “when an incident occurs, they cannot help themselves or run like others because some of them are blind, some are crippled while some are deaf.
“So people always run and abandon them to fall victims to the crisis. So that is the major challenge.”
He said PWDs were special people with special needs, especially funds to assist themselves.
Mr. Iorkighir, who identified feeding and accomodation for members as one of their major challenges, said most of their members had been abandoned to their fate and now lived in IDP camps while the association had to make private arrangements to accommodate some others pending when the problem would be resolved.
He stated that the association was totally exhausted and call on governments to ensure peace and adequate security in the state so that people could go back to their homes and to their normal lives.
He noted that in camps where some of their members now resided, food and other luxury items were not usually enough hence only those who are strong and can struggle for them get to have them most times.
“We now depend on family members to feed. Most of us had our businesses; some of us were into poultry others into fishery but we cannot continue because our houses are burnt down because of the crisis.”
He appealed to the government, Non -Governmental Organizations, NGOs and private organizations to offer their members employment saying “Some of us have been to higher institutions and have the qualifications.
“Even if there is no employment, there should be empowerment so that we can earn a living. Government should carry us along in their programmes. We should not be left out to suffer the way it is now,” he said.
A camp coordinator at Abagana IDP camp, Mr. James Iorkyaa told our correspondent that about 300 persons with various forms of disabilities, live in Abagana camp alone.
Iorkyaa expressed concerns over the prevailing situation in the camp, and appealed to the federal government and other stakeholders to ensure that peace returned to enable IDPs, particularly, PWDs who are worst hit to return to their homes.
He commended the effort of civil societies organizations, local and international NGOs, governments and good spirited indidviduals in catering for the needs of the displaced persons urging them to do more.
