NOA, NGO advocate for children with Special needs

The Assistant Director, Special Duties, National Orientation Agency, FCT Directorate, Mrs Chinwe Ikaraoha, has said people should stop the abuse of children with special needs.

Ikaraoha was speaking last Saturday during a road-walk organised by the Engraced Ones, Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative along Karu/ Jikwoyi road to mark the International day of Cerebral Palsy, on 6th October.

“We acknowledge government has signed Disability Bill which that the gives everyone living with disability rights in the society and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) is trying to popularize that bill. We will in the near future translate the bill into other languages, we are advocating that people stop the abuse of children with disabilities,” she said.

Convener of the Engraced Ones Initiative, Mrs Biboara Yinkere, said children with Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome may be written-off, but with prayers and educational intervention, the children would fulfill their destinies.

“There is nothing wrong having a child with a special condition. That child is human and complete, so we don’t want parents hiding their children away. Some claim they don’t have money to send these children to school but they send their other children to school, so parents should not discriminate against children with special needs, let this children go to school,” she said.

A parent of a child with special needs, Mrs Beatrice Agatha Ohere, said government should support children with Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome with scholarships, gadgets and teaching aids to help improve their learning process.