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http://www.thetidenews.com/article....un N5m launching for deaf, dumb&qrColumn=NEWS
A 2 -day seminar on street begging and launching of a N5 million Appeal Fund in aid of the deaf, Wednesday in Abuja, recorded poor turnout as dignitaries invited failed to turn up.
Several dignitaries were invited to attend the seminar with the theme, “Giving the deaf a new lease of life,” while the N5 million was meant for procurement of micro credit facilities for the deaf in Abuja and environs.
Our correspondent who covered the launching, reports that a presidential aspirant, members of the National Assembly, senior officials of the FCT and a traditional ruler were some of the invited dignitaries.
However, as at 12 noon, two hours after the scheduled time the seminar was billed to commence, none of the dignitaries had shown up and no explanation was given for their absence.
In his speech, Chairman of the occasion, Abuja Association of the Deaf, Lawrence Idemudia decried the high rate of street begging by the deaf in Nigeria.
According to him, street begging had deteriorated to the extent that young boys and girls were being lured away from school into the trade, while barons fight to recruit beggars.
“Leaving the shores of the country to indulge in the trade is worrisome,” he said, adding that such practice erodes the respect of an average hard working deaf man or woman in the society.
Idemudia identified lack of office accommodation, unemployment and education for the deaf as some of the problems facing members of his association in the territory.
He described unemployment as “our greatest bane,” saying many of his colleagues who had completed institutions of higher learning, even with qualifications like Masters Degree, find it difficult to secure jobs.
He expressed concern that the desire of his association to serve the increasing numbers of the deaf in the FCT were hampered by lack of mobility.
“We will be delighted if the FCT minister or any donor organisation will consider our plight and donate a bus to our association,” Idemudia said.
A 2 -day seminar on street begging and launching of a N5 million Appeal Fund in aid of the deaf, Wednesday in Abuja, recorded poor turnout as dignitaries invited failed to turn up.
Several dignitaries were invited to attend the seminar with the theme, “Giving the deaf a new lease of life,” while the N5 million was meant for procurement of micro credit facilities for the deaf in Abuja and environs.
Our correspondent who covered the launching, reports that a presidential aspirant, members of the National Assembly, senior officials of the FCT and a traditional ruler were some of the invited dignitaries.
However, as at 12 noon, two hours after the scheduled time the seminar was billed to commence, none of the dignitaries had shown up and no explanation was given for their absence.
In his speech, Chairman of the occasion, Abuja Association of the Deaf, Lawrence Idemudia decried the high rate of street begging by the deaf in Nigeria.
According to him, street begging had deteriorated to the extent that young boys and girls were being lured away from school into the trade, while barons fight to recruit beggars.
“Leaving the shores of the country to indulge in the trade is worrisome,” he said, adding that such practice erodes the respect of an average hard working deaf man or woman in the society.
Idemudia identified lack of office accommodation, unemployment and education for the deaf as some of the problems facing members of his association in the territory.
He described unemployment as “our greatest bane,” saying many of his colleagues who had completed institutions of higher learning, even with qualifications like Masters Degree, find it difficult to secure jobs.
He expressed concern that the desire of his association to serve the increasing numbers of the deaf in the FCT were hampered by lack of mobility.
“We will be delighted if the FCT minister or any donor organisation will consider our plight and donate a bus to our association,” Idemudia said.