Commissioner lauds Governor Kefas for signing disabilities commission bill into law

EMMANUEL AWARI, Jalingo

 

 

The Commissioner for Social Justice and Re – Integration, Dr. Filister Musa, has applauded the state Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, for signing into law in Taraba State Persons Living with disabilities commission.

 

She stated this while speaking with Journalists in Jalingo.

 

She said that the bill will provide full integration of people living with disabilities into society.

 

” I really want to thank the state Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, for this giant stride; this is a dream come true for people with disabilities in the state.

 

“The signing of the bill into law on 23rd July, 2025, would never be forgotten in the minds of the people living with disabilities in Taraba State.

 

“This will open doors for people living with disabilities in Taraba State and to the World at large.

 

According to her, the bill also establishes the Taraba State Commission for Persons with Disabilities 2024, and will be vested with the responsibilities of ensuring that the disabilities Education, Social, Economic and Civil rights and matters concerning the people living with disabilities are taken care of.

 

It will promote the rights and welfare of people living with disabilities and it’s an opportunity for them to be known in society.

 

“The Commission wil foster inclusiveness in the state and will also bring them closer to the society, facilitate discrimination against people living with disabilities prohibition act to protect their interest and help them.

 

The Commissioner further said that the Commission will also enable access to gain services with Non-Governmental Organizations NGO’S, Foundations and Development Partners, both National and International.

 

“Establishment of the Commission is a welcome development for Taraba State.

 

“This has gladdened the hearts of the entire people with disabilities in the country.

 

On the management of people living with disabilities, the Commissioner said,

 

“Yes, managing people living with disabilities is difficult because they are people who feel marginalized and discriminated against,   they have such a mindset any anytime they come into society, people will like to push them aside or look down on them, so they can be aggressive and hard to approach.

 

“So I thank God for giving me the wisdom to manage them. First, I always ask them questions when they approach me with any issue (How do you look at this and how do you think we can solve the issue)?.

 

“Most of the time, they have the solutions to the issues; they only need people to guide them to the right channel for the issues to be solved.

 

She pointed out that she was able to solve the lack of election of officials of the Association, which have been lingering for years.

 

“They came to me one time with an issue of election that have been long awaiting for decades, I gave them approval and sat them down and ask, “How do we go about it”?.

 

They give suggestions and at the end of it all, we succeed, and now the entire people living with disabilities in the state are calm.

 

The Commissioner said that treating people with disabilities with dignity, without discrimination against them is another point used to calm situations among the people living with disabilities.

 

“You have to treat them with dignity without discriminating against them. With dignity, they feel free and welcomed. so be fair with them in things you do.

 

“You should understand that different situations make them to react, so always understand them in the situation they are in.

 

According to her, giving a listening ear to the disabled will control any form of violence or aggressiveness.

 

“You have to listen to them anytime they come with their problems, if you don’t listen to them, they are ready to be violent. So always listen to them and you will amicably resolve things, and that is the method we have been using in the Ministry to resolve issues and live peacefully with them.

 

Dr. Filister Musa used the medium to elaborate on the challenges facing people living with disabilities, saying, ” Yes, PLWD are facing challenges, but let me point out some of the major ones. The Blind Workshop: If renovated, equipped and furnished, they can train and re-create and re-train themselves. They don’t need to be taken out of the state to any Institutions anywhere to acquire skills or training.

 

The workshop if put in place, it can also serve the same purpose as other training Institutions in Lagos and other places. With this, other North Eastern states will send their people living with disabilities to Taraba State to come and aquire skills and training that will empower them and help them become self-reliant.

 

“Another challenge is their Children. Most of time, they don’t allow their children to go to school, because of the fear that their children may be stolen or taken away from them in the aspect of Human trafficking and others.

 

I asked them “What is the solution to this problem”?, they said, only if the government can renovate, equip and furnish the two schools, one in Mutum Biyu and the other one in Garbabi, it will go a long way in solving the problem.

 

This serves them as an office, in which they can sit and discuss issues on way forward and make a living.

 

“Some of the children also have their challenges just as their parents. If the government can give them a Bus that can take and bring them back from Garbabi and Mutum Biyu when school resumes during holidays and bring them back safely, then they will allow their children to go to school, but if the children will follow public transport or follow an individual, they will not allow such.

 

“The government should be able to provide them with buses that can take them to and from school after break.

 

If the government will do that, they will allow their children go to school.

“Lack of empowerment is another challenge facing people living with disabilities.

 

If they can be empowered, they will stop begging on the streets and be enabled to live a healthy and wealthy life just like every citizen in the society, she said.