… Says Rights Are Being Denied
…Demand 5% Employment Slots, SURE-P Payment, Others
The main gate of the Ughelli North Local Government Secretariat was on Monday, August 21, barricaded by the Ughelli chapter of the National Association of Persons With Disability (JONAPWD) protesting over their non inclusion in the recently approved employment of primary school teachers, SURE-P and other entitlements which they alleged that the Ughelli North Local Government chairman, Godwin Adode, has denied them.
Addressing journalists at the front of the Secretariat, Comrade John Omokiniovo, chairman of the Ughelli North Chapter said; “We are here to agitate for our right in Ughelli North Local Government Area. We in JONAPWD, have clusters such as the visually impaired, Physically challenged, Deaf, Abino, ex-lepers etc.
“We are here to make our demands known to the Chairman of the local government, Chief Godwin Adode, for not keying into the Federal and State government policies of the 5% employment opportunity especially with the ongoing employment into the primary school teaching”.
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Comrade Omokiniovo disclosed that the 5% opportunity to persons with disability is not just something of today but since the time of Chief James Ibori as a governor, and even the immediate past President Buhari. He said with the policy, persons with disability is to benefit all employment that come to the local government.
“That we are with disabilities does not mean we are sick in the head. Here with me are Master Degree holders, Pharmacologists, OND, HND, B.SC, B.ED and NCE holders, so it is wrong to deny us the little 5% given to us.”
Asked if they have met the local government chairman in a round table discussion over the issue, he said;
“I have made several efforts to meet with the chairman, but anytime I visited his office, the chairman will be in the office, but his people will tell me he is not on seat. They won’t allow me access to see him, but the good thing is that I have dropped all copies of our memorandum for him to see. All we want is give us what is due to us and if the Federal and State government have acknowledged this, I see no reason why the local government should not listen to us”.
When contacted on phone, Godwin Adode, chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area denied all their accusations, noting that, the recent employment of teachers of primary schools, he has reserved two (2) slots for the persons with disabilities. Continuing, he said the accusation of SURE-P is also not true as the funds were used for projects in the local government, but he did not specify or name which projects he channeled the funds.