Mr Abba Kabir-Yusuf, the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kano state, has promised an all-inclusive government for people living with disabilities.
This was announced in a statement signed by Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the spokesperson to the PDP gubernatorial candidate, in Kano on Tuesday.
According to Dawakin Tofa, the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer made the promise when he received the leadership of the Joint Association of People Living with disabilities (PWDs), who paid him a courtesy visit at his campaign office in Kano on Monday.
Kabir-Yusuf said good governance would an instrumental to curtailing the challenges of people living with disabilities and their immediate families, for them to be productive and self-reliant.
“The PDP gubernatorial candidate has also promised an all-inclusive leadership to reposition the state to provide such persons some social protection through implementation of free education, with school feeding, uniform and instructional materials.
“He also promised to provide free basic healthcare services, transportation equipment and to strengthen the anti-begging policy, among others,’’ he said.
According to him, the United Nations in its 2006 convention on the rights of persons living with disabilities adopts to change the public attitude and approaches to persons with disabilities.
He said Kano state will not also be left out in pursuing a new perception from viewing persons with disabilities as objects of charity, towards seeing them as subjects with rights who are capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives based on free and informed consent, to serve as active members of society.
“We have a responsibility to make sure that people living with disabilities are included in the process of decision making, supporting them to achieve their potentials in education and career remains our utmost concern, if given the mandate.
“Our administration will also make sure that they have access to healthcare services, as we as ensuring that all their children attend and complete schooling,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the association, Mr Musa Shaga, expressed dismay over the exclusion of people living with disabilities in the process of policy formulation and implementation by the present administration in the state.
He commended the gubernatorial candidate for giving them the opportunity to meet with him and wished him success and Allah’s guidance in his future endeavours. (NAN)