After extending the state’s hand of? fellowship to the physically challenged in its domain for over five years, Governor Sule Lamido, can now look back smiling at the level of transformation that singular action has brought to the lives of the beneficiaries, who once roamed the streets of the state capital, begging for alms. MUHAMMAD ZANGINA KURA, who has been following the beneficiaries, reports.
I am over sixty years now, and I have been on the street begging for over thirty years due to my physical condition , but the government has taken all that off our back with its intervention programme,” said Abdullahi Shamaki,? a cripple, and one of the beneficiaries of the SSP.
They may be leaving the road finally, for good. That is because of what has happened to them: fortune has begun to inch towards their direction and the result is showing on their psyche. These were the same people who, a few years ago, used to line the streets of Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, begging for alms.
The transformation has also lifted them from their melancholy to an enhanced status and given them a new lease of life that will be difficult to change in a jiffy, as economic empowerment has been consciously incorporated into the rehabilitation of the former beggars in the state.
Although they are all happy today as a result of their new status, the journey to their current state did not come easy-someone planned, initiated the processes and paid for what has finally paid off handsomely for the down-trodden of Jigawa. The beneficiaries are as joyous as the benefactor-Governor Sule Lamido, who kick-started the programme known as Jigawa Security Programme, shortly after mounting the saddle of power. Under the programme, the state government pays a monthly stipend of N7,000 to no fewer than 4, 200 physically-challenged persons in the state. As at the end of last year, the state government had committed at least N2.5 billion into catering for the less privileged in the state but it is equally happy with the outcome of its benevolence.
The Jigawa State government did not wait for the yet-to-be signed bill on the ‘People With Disabilities’ PWD, to be signed into law by the President before taking the all-important step to ameliorate the plight of the physically-challenged in the state. In fact, while the president’s assent on the bill is still being awaited, aggrieved Nigerians, led by the Nasarawa State Governor,? Tanko Al-Makura and Senator Bode Olajumoke recently stormed Abuja and called for urgent action in that regard by the president to give succor to the less privileged in the land. While that remains the situation at the national level, Lamido had taken a proactive step to cater for that category of Nigerians in his state.
Apart from establishing the state’s board for the physically-challenged, the governor also registered the affected persons and offered them free education up to the university level. Besides, he also appointed disabled persons as supervisory councilors in the 27 LGAs in the state and also ensured that one of them was elected as a member of the state House of Assembly, something that is rare in other states of the federation.
The governor’s action did not go down well with all, who did not understand why he should be giving special attention to them in the first place. The argument from his critics was that it would be better for the Physically challenged to be given some skills rather than paying them monthly stipends.
In? reply to some of the critics, Lamido argued that it was unnecessary to train people who were close to 60 or 70 years of age when they could be trained in relevant skills to enable them to be economically viable.
It is evident that between those who opposed the governor and those who stood by him when he mooted the idea of the welfare scheme for the disabled persons five years ago, all is now unanimous on the fact that the governor took the best decision at the right time. In other words, the governor has been vindicated for taking an action based on foresight and altruism.
The action has also brought to the fore the fact that most of those tagged as disabled would have been better placed if they had proper medical and economic assistance from individuals or corporate bodies.
It is clear that even those who are being seen as disabled would not have fallen into that pitiable state if society had shown any form of sympathy and care towards them.
Alhaji Ibrahim Rabaka, Executive secretary of Jigawa Rehabilitation Board, explained that it was the special interest of the state in the welfare of the disabled that that informed the increment of beneficiaries from the initial 100 to 150 persons from each of the 27 LGAs of the state to benefit from its monthly stipends of N7, 000 each.? The total number of beneficiaries currently stands at 4, 104.
In its bid to consolidate and effectively cater for the disabled, the board has begun strategic collaboration with corporate organizations and groups in the discharge of its functions.
The agencies are helping the board in the provision of essential tools for the handicapped and they are very happy with the way things are going for them.
“Presently some individuals and trade unions are showing interest in catering for the people we are rehabilitating in order to keep them off the streets,” the executive secretary said.
Rabakaya said the agency was planning to take the census of all physically- challenge persons in the state, the nature of their disability and their full address and map out plans to tackle them.
“I can tell you that, the social security program has impacted on the lives of physically-challenged persons in the state as it has drastically reduced poverty among them. “If you look at them when they came to collect their allowance you will understand that their lives have been improved,” he said.
However, the attention being paid to the beggars by the state has triggered another problem for the administration, as new ‘beggars’ have continued to take the place of those taken off? the streets and rehabilitated under the SSP of the state.
In spite of the situation, the beneficiaries are happy with the state governmenent and they do not hide their feelings. Sale Idi Kiyawa, a leper, who serves as a supervisory councilor in Kiyawa LGA, said the intervention by the state has significantly improved their condition.
“The social security programme established by the state has changed the lives of our members in Jigawa state. Apart from the monthly allowance being paid to us, the state has also integrated us into the larger society and given us a sense of belonging,” the councilor said.
While the accolades continue to greet the programme’s outing so far, many are asking whether it would be sustained and for the praises to continue even after the exit of Sule Lamido. That is the challenge and what the beneficiaries and the benefactor should watch out for in the days and months ahead.