15 June 2020
Ben Akak Foundation (BAF) has been charged to precipitate the creation of desk officers for Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in the eighteen (18) local government areas of Cross River state NEGROIDHAVEN has garnered reliably.
Persons Living with Disabilities (PLDs) in Cross River are in dire need of official Desk Office(rs) in the eighteen local government areas of the state, and they have asked the Ben Akak Foundation to meet their request.
This disposition was disclosed in Calabar during a courtesy call on physically challenged persons in the state capital on Friday 12th June (Democracy Day) by the said humanitarian foundation (BAF).
Augusta Otu the former Vice President of Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities, Cross River state chapter who made a passionate plea said: 'We just finished local government elections, the PWDs are here, we need a desk officer in each local government in Cross River state, and none of it is there.
We want you to use your loving heart to help us… that in each local government there is supposed to be a desk officer for Persons Leaving with Disabilities. So that when ever we have any issues to deliberate on, the person will come directly to the office. Please help us sir.'
On his part, Comrade Offiong Okon the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Special Leader and Coordinator, Persons Living with Disabilities in Politics in Cross River called for the establishment of a Commission for the Disabled.
While responding to the plea, the Founder of the Ben Akak Foundation, Engr. Ben Akak assured the physically challenged persons of his organisation's willingness to lobby the government in the line of their request and needs. He said society should lead a live of sacrifice.
His words, 'Of course, you know that, what we can do as a non governmental association is to ensure that we lobby government, we also try to make positions clear to government on what the people out there are feeling most especially the disabled.
'And above all, why we chose this day is because yesterday was June 12, and it's a day that symbolises, democratically, sacrifices, and the pillar of that struggle was Chief Moshood Abiola. This is exactly what Abiola stood for. And there is no appropriate way to epitomise, represent or celebrate him other than living the live he lived.
'And that's why, apart from lobbying government, partnering with other NGOs and government agencies to ensure their voices are heard, we also want to live a life of sacrifice which Chief Moshood Abiola stood for.'
