Pledges better life for PWDs

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has pledged to prioritise the welfare and wellbeing of People with Disabilities (PWDs) by providing an enabling environment for them to thrive.

Oyebanji, who made the promise while unveiling a therapy centre for PWDs built through a partnership with Premium Trust Bank, said he would not relent in his drive to ensure social inclusion for everyone living with one form of disability or the other until they are reunited with the mainstream society.

The governor also disclosed that in the drive to reposition the sector for effective service delivery, his administration has employed speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists at the public special schools to ensure that the children receive the specialised care necessary for their development.

He also gifted the Centre a bus to ease the transportation of disabled children. He added that the multi-sensory and therapy centre was tailored to meet the diverse needs of the children with disabilities, noting that his primary desire is to see the children achieve their potential like their peers and develop into independent adults who can fend for themselves as well as contribute their quota to the development of the society.

Earlier, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Premium Trust Bank, Emmanuel Emefienim, expressed delight that he was part of the commissioning of a remarkable project aimed to enliven the lives of physically-challenged children in the society, adding that his organisation’s contribution to the project was based on compassion and selfless service to leverage on ensuring necessary provision for the urgent needs of the children.

Emefienim commended Oyebanji for providing the necessary impetus and conducive environment to drive public/private partnership, describing him as someone who is selfless and has a compassionate heart for the less privileged by leveraging on the platform, he already provided to support his laudable initiatives.

He encouraged the children not to give up on themselves as they all have the potential to succeed and make it in life, adding that the government was ready to continue to provide all the needed support that would enable them to fulfil their destiny.

In her welcome address, Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Adetoun Agboola, stated that the Centre was established to provide support for children who are out of school or on the verge of dropping out due to critical disability needs.