PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PERSONS DARE UDUGHAN, BLOCKED BENIN/ASABA RD Physically challenged persons in Delta State under the umbrella group, Joint National Association of People Living with Disability (JNAPLWD) on Monday, 8 July, 2013 barricaded the ever busy Benin/Asaba Expressway in protest over what they called marginalization by the state government authority. Travelers who were caught up in the barricade suffered a heavy traffic gridlock that lasted from 11am in the morning to 11pm in the night. Efforts made by the secretary to the State Government, Comrade Ovuozuore Macaulay and other top government officials including police and soldiers to keep the protesting physically challenged persons out of the road failed as they vowed not to leave until they speak to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. The protesters said they were not happy with the way they were denied their benefits in the recent Federal Government SURE-P programme. The police under the Delta State command later arrested 179 physically challenged persons who were part of the protesters. However, Governor Uduaghan has ordered the release of the arrested 179 physically challenged persons for unlawful blocking of the Benin-Asaba Expressway in Asaba but with a condition to sign an undertaking to henceforth be of good behavior and never to engage in any riotous act that will disrupt traffic or breach of peace in any part of the state. The governor said he is surprise with the unruly behavour of the physically challenged persons as his government has done so much for them, pointing out that government will not give money to anybody as it prefers training those who are interested in skills acquisition. In an interview with Ika Weekly, chairman of the physically challenged persons in Ika North East local government area, Mrs. Elizabeth Bawoh said they did not mean to suffer commuters but to drive home their demand. She thanked the chairman of Ika North East local government area Princess Ijenwa Okunonke for including physically challenged persons in the disbursement of the SURE-P fund sent to the local government. Ika Weekly
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 14:59:04 +0000