Kogi state governor’s wife calls on government to provide for physically challenged children
- Kogi state governor’s wife has called on the government to provide adequate amenities needed for sound education of physically challenged children
- The first lady recounted her ordeal as a mother of a child born with cerebral palsy
- She also called on the government to crack down on schools discriminating against physically challenged students
The wife of Kogi state governor and founder of Hayat foundation, Barrister (mrs) Amina Bello has called on the government to ensure the availability of wheelchairs for physically challenged children.
Mrs Bello also advised the government to shut down any school that discriminates against the physically challenged students.
According to Punch, Mrs Bello told journalists in Abuja how close friends and relatives mocked her and advised her to kill her child because he suffers from cerebral palsy.
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She said:“Schools which discriminate against children who are living with physical and developmental challenges should be shut down. Before you set up a school, it must be accessible to these children with special needs.
"You must have special teachers or therapists in every class and of course you should be certified fit to open a school for special needs children.
“There is also the stigma which starts from your immediate environment. People will be whispering when a child with special needs or his parents are around. This has made a lot of parents to live in depression.
"This is the reason why some parents choose to live in denial and lock up such children. I was advised to inject my son with harmful substance and some people advised me to take him to the village.”
Bello called on government to make it compulsory for schools to provide wheelchairs in schools.
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The foundation, according to her, will establish an institute that will focus on severe cases of cerebral palsy and open a training centre for behavioural and occupational therapists.
Meanwhile, popular Kogi state socio-political activist and the national coordinator of Peoples Democratic Party Youth Forum, Comrade Austin Okai has slammed Ibrahim Kpotum Idris for mulling the idea of presenting Best Security award to Yahaya Bello at a time kidnappers and armed robbers are holding the state hostage amount to mockery of the good people of Kogi state.
According to Okai, the people of Kogi state sleep with one eyes open and for IGP Idris to present the security award to Governor Bello is questionable, laughable and mockery of the death
Comrade Austin Okai in a press statement made available to newsmen expressed disappointment with IGP as he believes the award will make Governor Bello seat back instead of standing up to the challenges of leadership.
Source: Legit.ng
