People living with disabilities ( PLWDs) are important members of the society. Yes, they are in most cases in the minority and of course, democracy specifically recognizes the rights of the minority as any consideration that blind sides them does a huge disservice for democracy which factors – in the right of the huge majority and the simple minority.
PLWDs are unique in their own making and while they deserve and often long for support that can consolidate on stability, they don’t call pity party. They are hardworking, cerebral and enterprising; dare them with little support and watch them expand in their chosen career and expand with profound agility. It is no mistake that in The United States, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is religiously adhered to as it sets standards for accessibility in public spaces, services and employment.European Union, EU, has policies and guidelines which promote accessibility, all manners of accessibility which include ‘Web Accessibility Directive’ for PLWDs. This is a reflection of the Pride of Place the EU places on PLWDs ; what about Australia? In that prominently exposed part of the world, there is a National Disability Insurance Scheme(NDIS) entrenched by the government of Australia to provide funding and support for individuals with one disability or the other as this government support provides an average PLWD with enhanced fund to allow for their Independence.
In Ondo South Senatorial District, the exemplary representative of the people at The Red Chamber, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, of his own volition, has reached out to People Living With Disabilities (PLWD) and gifted them a lumpsum to the tune of 12 Million Naira to be shared among a select bracket of 60 PLWDs. If the developed countries of the world has concern for those with disability, Dr.Jimoh Ibrahim through his candid philanthropy to this special minority group has drawn attention to the fact that they too matter in the society and deserve empowerment both fund wise and in other areas of assistance that will place them on a pedestal of prominence and reckoning in the society.
In an economy that is seeing inflation digit climb to the ceiling, this wand of philanthropy extended to the Ondo South PLWDs by the district Senator is a thoughtful gesture which goes a long way in sorting out needs and calming down the nerves of these special people.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s legacy support syncs with his electioneering campaign of looking out for the vulnerable in the Society as long as we all understand the fact that ‘disability is not incapacity.’ Such gesture is recommended to government both at the Local, State and Federal level as this effort if adopted beyond just a policy, if there is a collective push to provide economically sustaining empowerment for PLWDs across states, a sense of belonging is created for them with a long lasting effect.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has risen to the challenge and has lighted the torch of bringing reckoning to the door steps of People Living With Disabilities in his mandate area ; no doubt such support will continue to ring bell in the grateful heart of these constituents and understandably, like Oliver Twist, they may even long for more of such philanthropic empowerment from The Senator of Example who may up the ante of reaching out to these special people in subsequent efforts. Those who are certificated amongst them may yearn for career empowerment while those who have learnt some skills may desire vocational empowerment that can buoy their domestic economy. Fortunately enough, the Ondo South Senatorial District has a Senator who has listening ears, large and kind heart and overwhelming masses support.
An icing on the cake for the constituents of Ondo South was the consideration of women of the district for fund support by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim: 220 women of the district got a grant of fifty thousand Naira each to assist respective domestic economy. For these sect of constituents who have benefitted from the philanthropy of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, their thumb for his candidacy keeps yielding ‘soft’ social security that has continued to make democracy desirable.
