The persons with special needs community in Benue State has endorsed Governor Hyacinth Alia for a second term in 2027, promising to mobilise massively to enable him succeed.
The community made their pledge when they visited the chairman of Makurdi local government area, Joseph Keffi, to thank him for appointing one of their members, Henry Iorkyaa, as his personal assistant on persons with special needs.
The group led by the special assistant to governor on persons with Special Needs, Bem Anshe, said their support and endorsement of the governor was borne out of his passion and commitment to alleviate the plight of people with special needs through his inclusive governance and approval of the Discrimination against persons with Disability Prohibition bill.
Anshe described the gesture by the chairman as the first of its kind since the existence of the local government and appealed to the remaining 22 local governments to emulate.
He said “The disability community who are in Six clusters which includes the Abinos, the Blind, Deaf, physically challenged, Leprosy survivors and the Spinal cord I jury formed 15 per cent of the Benue population which constituted over 200,000 persons following the 2006 population census.
He said, “We are ready to support the Alialization bid of the Governor and we also have the ability to contribute meaningfully to the development of the State and should not be relegated to the background by any means.”
In his response the local government chairman, Joseph Keffi, commended the disabled community for finding him worthy of the award and described it as an encouragement to do more.
He said, “My administration is also keying into the inclusive governance of Governor Alia which has approved the domestication of the bill to stop the discrimination against persons with disability and related matters as well as the appointment of Anshe as his Special Assistant on person with special needs with a promise to see how he can place each of them on Monthly Stipend subsequently.”