In line with the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration towards the prevention and further spread of COVID 19 in the country, the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has donated cartons of hand sanitisers, face masks, soaps, bleach and plastic buckets to the persons living with disabilities (PLWDs), at the Karmajiji Disabled Community, in Abuja.
In a statement made available to Blueprint in Abuja Tuesday, which was signed by Deputy Director Information, Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, the protective items were presented by the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, to the Chief of the Karmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Suleiman Mohammed Katsina, in Abuja.
Speaking through the Director Rehabilitation, Nkechi Onwukwe, the minister stressed that Coronavirus is real and deadly, that the items will ensure that the people of the community and other PLWDs have access to sensitisation and essential items that would help prevent COVID 19 virus that has spread rapidly across the world without a cure, even as she urged them to follow the government guidelines on prevention, stay at home and avoid large crowds.
She said: “It is agreed that the most effective way to contain the disease is to wash hands frequently, practice good hygiene and avoid large gatherings, by staying at home for the prescribed duration as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari in his broadcast to the nation on the disease.
“To urgently intervene and provide support for the vulnerable persons, the ministry has swung into action to ensure that the PLWDs will receive intervention are care. We will expand our safety net programme to make sure that we raise the number of qualified beneficiaries with special needs who will receive government support.”
Also speaking, the chief of Karmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Suleiman Mohammed Katsina, through his Secretary, Mohammed Dantani, expressed appreciation to the federal government for the concerns towards the vulnerable, the less privileged and the PLWDS in the FCT.
He appealed to the federal government to support the community with food items, stressing that some of the members of the community depend on donations and with the lockdown in Abuja, their members will find it difficult to feed their families.
“We are very impressed with the action taken by the federal government and we will deliver the message to our people, we will make sure that our people use the protective items donated and observe the stay at home directive,” he said.
