PWDs National Stakeholders Beg Tinubu to Appoint Dr Halimat as Humanitarian Minister
By Yahaya Yusuf, Gombe
A group of Persons With Disabilities National stakeholders Forum has appealed to President Bola Tinubu, to consider the appointment of Dr Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, as Humanitarian Affairs Minister to replace Dr Betta Edu.
The call was made during a press conference held in Abuja on Monday during stakeholders and leaders meeting involving the Deaf, Blinds, Physically Challenged, persons with Spinal Cord injuries.
Speaking, former Senior Special Assistant to Kano state Governor on Disabilities, Hon Adnan Aliyu Daneji, who is also the National Coordinator of the stakeholders forum, argued that its difficult to find a kind-hearted, humanitarian, inclusive and PWD-friendly person like Dr Halimat Adenike Tejuosho.
“This is one of the reasons we came together as PWDs stakeholders to make press conference to implore our Dear President Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to please consider our mother Dr Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, as Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation minister to help us alleviate the level of poverty we disabled and over less privileged people are facing,” he said.
Also speaking, Secretary of the group Hon Dr Samuelson Emehibe, doubles as aide to Imo State Governor on Disabilities Affairs lamented that PWDs have suffered a lot in the past decades, adding that the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry under which PWDs are supported needs a credible, character and reliable who would champion the cause of PWDs, widows, orphans etc and help revive the National Commission for PWDs and the person whose the cap fit is Dr Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, “due to her long humanitarian gestures not only toward PWDs ,widows,orphans etc but also persons without disabilities through her Queen Adenike Tejuosho Foundation,” the Forum added.
Emehibe said, “We sincerely appeal and humbly recommend to Mr President to kindly appoint Dr Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, to work with him as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. She’s the most competent for the position and her result oriented nature, positive mindset as well as her love for humanity Nigeria will never regret having her as Humanitarian Affairs Minister.”
Also, Representative of Deaf Cluster Mr Ismail Abdullahi, who is the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian National Association of the Deaf, Commended President Tinubu for signing the African Union Charter on Disabilities.
According to Abdullahi, it indicates President Tinubu is not only promoting Disabilities Rights in Nigeria but also Africa at large.
He appealed to Tinubu to consider the appointment of Dr Halimat to help him in championing the rights and welfare of PWDs and less privileged because she’s not only humanitarian but also has PWDs and less privileged at heart.
Abubakar Ibrahim Gombe, who spoke on behalf of crippled/physically challenged said that considering her humanitarian gestures towards PWDs and less privileged she is the right person to head the ministry.
On his part, Mohammed Aliyu who represents blind stakeholders also appealed to Tinubu to consider their demands.
The group also presented their demands to All Progressives Congress National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, at the party’s National Secretariat where the National Secretary of the party Sarajudeen Ajibola Basiru, who represented the chairman assured to look into their demands and forward to President Bola Tinubu for consideration.
