CDD wants FG to appoint persons with disabilities into government positions

By Ikenna Uwadileke

Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a non-governmental organisation, has appealed to the Federal Government to ensure an inclusive government that would address the issues of persons with disabilities (PWD).

Mr David Anyaele, the Executive Director of CCD, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, the centre expects that people with disabilities will be visible in government appointments and positions, not disability assistants.

“We are talking about a government that allows or promotes the issues of the weak to form part of the major response of the state to its development agenda.

“We are talking about heads of agencies, members of commissions and institutions of the state to ensure that issues concerning the vulnerable groups using people with disabilities as contact points are addressed.

“We are also looking forward to where the government will be able to address issues of concern for the poor and infrastructure to people with disabilities,’’ Anyaele said.

While emphasising the need for inclusive government, Anyaele urged the Federal Government to strengthen its anti-corruption efforts.

According to him, “our economic downturn and our socio-political challenges centre on the height of corruption in the country.

“What we look forward to is an honest and sincere inclusive government, that is a bottom to top approach of addressing governance and development issues.

“Corruption is pervasive, Nigeria is a den of corrupt public officers and anything this government will do to reduce this state of corruption will go a long way in helping us to improve as a country,’’ he said.

Anyaele further appealed to the Federal Government to address impunity, demonstrated by some government officials.

“There is a high-level culture of impunity because we want a situation whereby when somebody breaks the law, the law will take its cause.

“When corruption eats the citizens, faith in judicial processes will collapse and faith in state institutions will also collapse and what you will see is that people will draft towards anarchy where they will do what they like.

“So, anything this government will do to arrest this situation and push it upwards instead of nose diving will be of help,’’ Anyaele said.

(NAN)