The way and manner a government treats persons with disabilities shows how responsive or irresponsive that government is.
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The disabled constitute the most vulnerable members of any society and a government that discharges its responsibilities to them, no doubt serves the entire citizenry creditably.
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The Cross River State Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development was established and charged with the responsibility of providing social welfare services to the disabled and others citizens in Cross River State. Its major focus is on the welfare of the disadvantaged groups in the state.
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In view of the laudable objectives of the Ministry, when they approached us at Mobility Aid and Appliances Research and Development Centre (MAARDEC) in 2010 to supply mobility aids and appliances, we were very excited with the prospects of working with the state government to empower persons with disabilities in the state. MAARDEC was established in 1991 with the vision to empower persons with disabilities through the provision of innovative and affordable mobility aids and appliances and complementary services to ensure that they are socially, economically and politically relevant to society. 50% of our workforce is made up of persons with disability.
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We were excited when we were told that Governor Liyel Imoke layed a lot of emphasis on the protection and care of the disabled. So we really looked forward to an exciting partnership with Cross River State.
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When we were eventually contracted to supply a substantial quantity of mobility aids and appliances viz:wheelchairs, leg braces, artificial limbs, Braille embossers, Braille machines etc, we did not hesitate to raise funds to execute the contract with the hope that our payment will not be delayed by the ministry.
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All the items were supplied. Medical consultants such as prosthetist and orthotist, audiologists and medical engineers were engaged by MAARDEC to ensure that all these items were properly installed in the schools and other centres where they were needed including the St. Joseph's Center for the Blind in Obudu, while individual recipients were professionally fitted with the limbs, leg braces etc.
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Two installmental payments were made by the Cross Rivers State Government at the time, which covered the cost of producing and importing some of these machines into the country. A substantial balance of N2, 315,693.44 (two million three hundred and fifteen thousand six hundred and ninety three naira forty four kobo) till today, is yet to be paid.
Disability is not a bad thing. They should be treated with care and compassion. We shouldn't be harsh on them cos they're human beings too