Alia, others support disability law in Benue

By Titus Atondu, Makurdi

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia and other stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the quick passage of a disability law in the state.

The Director General, Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (ICD),  Dr Leonard Viashima, conveyed the governor’s feeling at the just concluded stakeholder’s Consultative Forum to domesticate the disability law in Benue state, held on Tuesday in Makurdi.

According to Dr Viashima, Governor Alia’s administration is ever willing to work with international development partners to achieve the set goals for the good of the people of the state and beyond.

The Director General spoke through the Technical Adviser on Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, Mr John Akuse, assuring of capacity building so as to manage resources at their disposal.

In a presentation, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Disability Affairs, Mr Batholomew Anshe, said the inclusion of people with disability is good and the administration is ever willing to domesticate disability law in Benue state.

He decried the non passage of the law, adding that Benue is the only state in the North Central yet to domesticate it.

Professor Christe Anyogo from Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), explained that Benue state is lucky to have Governor Hyacinth Alia who never looks back on what he intends to do, he expressed  hope that Benue will soon join the league of states that have domesticated the disability law.

Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Director of IFA,  Grace Jerry, represented by the Programme Manager of IFA, Mr Stephen Idoko, noted that despite the challenges, she has confidence that the Forum would achieve its objective if there is synergy among all.

She noted that the presence of stakeholders in the meeting reaffirms the collective commitment to making a lasting impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in the state.