By Christy Aboghe/ Rose Afolomah
Commissioner for Woman Affairs Community and Social Development, Hon. Mrs Flora Alanta has charge persons with sight impairment to remain focused and not see their situation as the end of the world.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Director in the Ministry, Mr Peter Okocha made this known during the during the celebration of the International White Cane Day in Asaba, the state capital.
She advised them to see it as a condition that would prepare them to do better, to enable them contributes to the betterment of the society.
She commended the state government for what they have been doing for persons with disability, by training their members annually at the Lagos school for the blind, adding that they undergo for one year program in the school where their school fees are being paid by the state government, they acquire skills, are provided with training materials, are also given monthly stipends, and are empowered to the skill at the end of their program.
Chairman, Nigeria Association of the Blind Delta State Chapter, Mr Edere Edison, called for the passage of the bill to disability act of 2018.
He said the event which was celebrated annually was in commemoration of their white cane, which he said was an aid for people with visual disability.
He said the white cane has helped them to navigate around their environment to identify if there were obstruction on their way or not,
While speaking on the choice of the year’s theme, he said it was to search out some of the dirts, obstacles, open drainage without lids and blocked drainage in their immediate environment and hazard to people with blind defect.
The Chairman called on various agencies to help keep the environment clean, so as to enhance safety and productivity of the blind.
In her lecture, Mrs Isioma Edozie said according to the World Health Organisation in 2018, that two million persons are affected with the challenge.
Edozie said there was need to support them, by developing design or facilities such as organizations that they can benefit from.
