UNN honours Obiano for supporting physically challenged

Gov’s wife urges conscious inclusion of physically challenged in devp

GOVERNOR of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has won the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) award of Friends of Physically Challenged Persons.

  Special Education Unit of UNN announced the honour while rolling out activities scheduled to hold as part of events marking its participation in the 2019 International Day of Physically Challenged Persons yesterday.

  Presenting the award for UNN, the Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Revd Emmanuel Chukwuma, eulogised Gov. Obiano for his unalloyed support for physically challenged persons.

  According to Chukwuma, the governor has serially demonstrated this commitment through his policy of inclusivity that saw physically challenged persons occupying front row leadership positions in his administration, noting that it has never been done by previous administrations.

  Extolling the employment and empowerment schemes introduced for all categories of deserving ndi Anambra run by the Obiano administration, Chukwuma further lauded the governor’s special efforts at physically challenged persons along to include appointing a Special Adviser on Disability Matters and another two persons with disability as Permanent Secretaries in the state civil service.

  Receiving the award on behalf of Gov. Obiano, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Disability Matters, Chuks Ezewuzie who was represented by Special Assistant to the Governor on Sign Language Communications, Joseph Collins, expressed his delight for UNN management in their choice of selecting the governor ahead of other qualified good spirited public office holders and philanthropists.

  Ezewuzie therefore challenged other governors in Nigeria, particularly in South East, to take a cue from Gov. Obiano’s unwavering devotion to varying all segments of society along in the scheme of leadership, adding that Obiano has gone a long way to reduce marginalisation hitherto the fate of with physically challenged persons with disability in Anambra and other states.

  Promising that the award will spur Gov. Obiano to do more for disability community in Anambra State towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Vision 2030, Ezewuzie also assured that physically challenged persons will always see Obiano as a role model.

  In his remarks, UNN Vice Chancellor, Professor Charles Igwe who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor of Administration, Professor Charles Okpoko pledged support to the Special Education Unit of UNN to ensure it meets the need of qualitative education of students with disability.

  Similarly, Wife of Governor of Anambra State and Founder of Caring Family Enhancement (CAFE) initiative, Dr. (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano has called for the sustenance of programmes that promote inclusion of physically challenged persons in all socio-economic development plans through conscious recognition of their potentials and contributions in leadership and targeted inclusive empowerment programmes.

  Osodieme made the call in Awka on Tueday, in a special message signed by Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Obiano, Mr. Emeka Ozumba, on the official commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Physically Challenged Persons.