By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Joined National Association for People With Special Needs (JONAPWD) has asked for more representation in Civil Society Organizations(CSOs) to enable its members access wider opportunities in the country.
The opportunities,the association said, are in such areas as job offers, businesses and educational slots.
The Vice Chairman of the Association,Alhaji Aminu Ahmed Tudun Wada, made the request on Tuesday at an Event organized to issue Certificates of Return to 15 elected Executives of the Kano Civil Society Forum (KCSF) held at the NUJ press centre,Kano.
“We are an association whose members are committed to industriousness and self reliance through the various trades we are engaged in.
“Such trades include bicycles and motorcycles manufacturing, tailoring,soap making and knitting that keep our members engaged.
“We also have our members working in various government ministries and parastatals across Nigeria, apart from those studying in institutions of higher learning at home and abroad,” Tudun Wada said
He said such engagements had moved most of the association’s members away from street begging.
“So, what we are asking is increased representation in the CSOs which will give us more opportunities to get more jobs, scholarships and business slots and platforms,” the vice chairman said.
He explained that the CSOs are very strong Institutions whose influence and connections to appropriate quarters can immensely assist people with special needs to have more access to jobs and other opportunities.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, Chairman of the Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ), Comrade Abbas Ibrahim, congratulated the Forum for electing new leaders after many years.
Ibrahim advised the new Executives of the Forum to use checks and balances to enable them provide good leadership for the group,and pledged NUJ’s maximum support for the Forum.