Onna monarch pledges inclusion of persons with disabilities

Etim Ekpimah

The Paramount Ruler of Onna, Edidem Raymond Inyang, has pledged to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in host community development projects and benefits under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Inyang made the commitment on Friday when he received a delegation from the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), which visited him as part of an advocacy campaign supported by the Ford Foundation.

The visit aimed to ensure that persons with disabilities participate in host community development activities and have equitable access to the benefits of programmes established under the PIA.

The monarch commended CCD for its advocacy efforts and stressed the need to take the campaign to grassroots communities to ensure that no person with a disability was left behind.

He pledged to advocate for the inclusion of PWDs in relevant structures and benefit schemes under the PIA, adding that he would direct village heads to engage their communities and discourage discrimination against persons with disabilities.

“We must bring this advocacy down to the villages so that we can start at the community level.

“This advocacy has to commence with the villages. I would like to call all the village heads and instruct them to return to their village councils and engage the youths, letting them know what you have told me.

“They must understand that it is good to belong to a community, even when you live with a disability,” Inyang said.

The monarch also urged CCD to develop a comprehensive database of persons with disabilities in Onna and other parts of Akwa Ibom State.

He said the database would help community leaders identify their needs and plan appropriate assistance in line with the provisions of the PIA.

Earlier, the Akwa Ibom Coordinating Secretary of CCD, Mr Victor James, thanked the monarch for granting the delegation an audience and expressed confidence in his leadership and anticipated support.

James said the visit was intended to secure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the structures, programmes and benefits established under the PIA’s Host Community Development Trust (HCDT).

He called for adequate representation of PWDs on host community development committees and urged community leaders to consult them when planning projects and programmes that affect their lives.

The CCD secretary also advocated equitable access to empowerment initiatives, skills development, scholarships, employment opportunities and other benefits provided through host community development programmes.

“We appeal to Your Majesty to encourage the relevant HCDT authorities and community leadership structures in Akwa Ibom, especially in Onna, to ensure that qualified and credible persons with disabilities are considered for appropriate representation.

“We request that the needs of PWDs be considered when community development projects are identified, prioritised and implemented,” James said.

He urged community leaders and other stakeholders to recognise persons with disabilities as valuable contributors to community development and ensure that their needs were reflected in planning and decision-making.