By Jacob U. Agba
Recently, the governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, announced a number of appointments. It was expected that the appointments would include persons living with disabilities, PLWDs, who have been at least, members of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state.
Unfortunately, this has not been the case, as His Excellency, Governor Otu has not at this moment, found any of the PLWD’s worthy in character , learning or party affiliation to be appointed into his cabinet.
It has also been expected that the governor would announce the setting up of the Commission for the Protection of the Rights of PLWDs and appointment of members of that commission. These expectations too have not been met.
The question is: if these appointments are not made now and the expected commission has not been set up, when would they be? Or has the “season of sweetness” of Governor Otu become the season of the bitterness for and discrimination against the PLWDs?
The body language of the governor had before now indicated that PLWDs were going to be included in his administration, but why renege on the promise, is the million dollar question begging for answer.
It is a truism that the Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities, JONAPLWD, in the state, which should have been in the forefront in the fight for the inclusion of the PLWDs in the administration of the state has been having some crises, but there is no association without some problems at certain stages of its existence.
Of course, the flame of the fire that had burned in the association was actively fanned by those who had directly or indirectly profited from the crises. Thank God, the crises have now been put to rest, following the kind intervention of the wife of the governor, Her Excellency, Rev. Mrs. Eyoanwan Edet Otu. She used her motherly skills of crisis resolution to complete the peace efforts started by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Grimah and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of JONAPLWD, Miss Omotunde E. Thompson.
While the state chapter of JONAPLWD in the state is supposed to serve as a pressure group for the interest of PLWD’s, it is not the only platform for the inclusion of persons with disabilities and the crisis in the association should not be used to exclude the PLWDs from governance or any other service.
Some persons living with disabilities have joined the ruling APC and worked hard in their various wards or polling units to bring about the victory of the party in the state.
These PLWDs-members of APC in the state ought to be considered for appointments in the state, even without the pressure of JONAPLWD.
No doubt, the apparent renege by His Excellency, Governor Otu might not be unconnected with the prejudices recently demonstrated by some highly placed persons in the state. For instance, in a recent address presented by the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Community Development, Bishop Ene Ita, during the peace meeting with Her Excellency, the wife of the governor, held on 23rd February, 2024, to resolve the conflict in JONAPLWD, she advised that instead of appointing a person with disability as Senior Special Advisor to the state governor on disability matters, a so-called “normal” person should be appointed to the position.
This call is not only retrogressive, but a calculated attempt to rob PLWDs in the state of quality service by one of them who wears the shoe of disabilities and knows where it pinches the most.
In the last 13 years, that position has always been held by a person living with disability. Article 4 section 3 of the United Nations Charter on the Rights of Persons Living with Disabilities recognises the fact that nothing for persons with disabilities is possible without them. Besides, a perfect society comprise all component parts of that society put together and the “season of Sweetness” cannot really be sweet without the inclusion of the PLWDs in the governance of the state; and the time to do it is now; as justice delayed is justice denied.
Thus, in this season of sweetness, Governor Otu cannot turn it into a season of sweetness for the so-called able bodied and season of bitterness for PLWDs in the state.
Prof. Agba, a lecturer and public affairs analyst, writes from Calabar.
