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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
Mr. Okreghe Obara’Jesus, a disabled but talented young man from Unenurhie community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has called on the state and federal governments to give more attention to the people living with disabilities in the country as is the practice in other African and western countries.
Mr. Okreghe made this call on December 3, 2021, a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate persons living with disabilities all over the world.
Speaking to our correspondent in his furniture workshop at Unenurhie community, Okreghe said, “Today is a special day to me and other people living with disabilities across the country. I want to call on the Delta State government and Federal Government to give more attention to disabled people in the country.
“I want to say that both the state and federal government should try to create the ministry of people with disabilities and the aged. This ministry should be considered as a special ministry purposely created to cater for the needs of disabled people and the aged ones in the state.
“Disabled people are suffering a lot of hardship in this country. I’m only lucky to have acquired these skills. As you see, I’m a furniture maker; I’m a painter and also an artist. In all these, I’m yet to have a good workshop and tools to do the jobs. At least, government, corporate organizations and NGOs should support me in these primary needs to make me self-employed and independent.”
Mr. Okreghe urged Nigerians to always respect and honour disabled people around them.
“Many Nigerians always look down on disabled people with no respect, human dignity and honour. In western countries, there are laws that are in place to protect the fundamental rights and the dignity of disabled people. Here in Nigeria, even though there are such laws, they are only written on papers without any legal action or process to back them up.
“Many of us are being humiliated in public offices because of our conditions. Some of us are even assaulted on many grounds. The truth is that, we are not happy in these conditions we found ourselves. But, it has happened. We should be treated like normal human beings. We didn’t pray to be like this. Circumstances placed us in these positions. Let our dignities as human beings be respected and honoured by our people. Show us a lot of love to make this world a joyous place for us to live,” he said.
