The Joint Clusters of Kano State Persons with Disabilities, under the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Kano State Chapter, have distanced themselves from a recent protest and press conference organized under the guise of the Kano Civil Societies Forum. The association clarified that there is a pending legal case regarding the leadership, and they were not part of the protest.

The Joint Chapters came across a protest and a press conference by some interest groups putting pressure on the Kano State government to create a disability commission. They categorically distanced themselves from the press conference and the alleged sponsored protest organized by individuals claiming to represent persons living with disabilities. “We were not aware of the protest, neither are we part of it!” the association stated.

Instead of staging protests, the association chose to utilize the open channel of communication provided by the Abba Kabir administration, where their complaints and concerns are directly and swiftly addressed by the government. They rejected the approach taken by the individuals involved in the protest and their involvement with the association’s name.

The Joint Clusters and the leadership of JONAPWD highlighted the significant strides made in improving the lives of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) under the leadership of His Excellency, Abba Kabir Yusuf. They based their arguments on several key achievements:

1. **Institutionalization of PWDs Affairs**: All Persons with Disabilities Associations were brought under the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children, and Disabled, providing a direct channel of communication between the Kano State Government and PWDs.

2. **Direct Government Support**: In its 100 days in office, the Kano State Government provided substantial support to persons with disabilities, including assistive devices, medical consumables, and palliatives. The government distributed 100 bags of 10kg rice and 100 bags of 10kg maize to each Local Government Area (LGA) with a N50,000 transportation fee. Additionally, 200 bags of 25kg rice palliatives and direct cash transfers of N20,000 to 2,000 PWDs members across Kano State were provided.

3. **Support for Special Day Events**: The government generously supported the World Disability Day 2024 and the International Day for Spinal Cord Injury 2023 and 2024, allocating significant funds for various activities and initiatives. The government also sponsored Kano representatives from 44 LGAs to Bauchi for the World Stick Day for visually impaired individuals.

4. **Empowerment and Inclusion**: The government distributed hundreds of tricycles, diapers, and wheelchairs to PWDs and fully implemented free education for PWDs and their siblings.

While supporting the idea of having a disability commission, the association proclaimed that Kano State is the most disability-friendly state in Nigeria and is on the right track to implementing policies for the development of PWDs members in Kano. They commended the efforts of the Kano State Government under the leadership of H.E. Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf for empowering and including PWDs in the state’s development agenda. “We have never been denied His Excellency’s approval anytime we submitted PWDs proposal,” they stated.

The association urged all members of the Joint Clusters of Kano PWDs, JONAPWD, and the general public to distance themselves from all forms of protest in the name of fighting for the rights of persons with disabilities in Kano State. They recognized the positive impact of the government’s initiatives for persons with disabilities and prayed for a peaceful Kano State and Nigeria in general.

The statement was signed by:
– Musa Muhammed Shaga, JONAPWD Chairman, Kano Chapter
– Abdulrahman Uba Daushe, Chairman, Spinal Cord Injury Association, Kano
– Musa Muhammed Kura, Chairman, National Association for the Blind
– Yahaya A. Yahaya, Chairman, National Association for Physically Challenged, Kano
– Da’u Sa’idu, IDEA Chairman, Kano State
– Hajiya Mariya, Albino Association, Kano

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state has assured government readiness to compensate owners of properties affected by the muli-billion naira Overpass project under construction at Tal’udu area of the metropolitis.

In the alternative, Governor Yusuf also disclosed plans to allocate new layout to the residents who are affected by the construction free of cost and out the compensation money that would be given to them.

Governor Yusuf gave the assurance during a meeting with stakeholders and leadership of Tal’udu communities at the Government house in Kano.

A statement by Spokesperson of the Governor, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, said Governor Yusuf had invited the stakeholder for a dialogue over their claims and development interest of the state.
” All of you would be reasonably compensated in cash through your designated bank accounts, we will also agree with you on the time frame for you to move out of the project site and ww would also give plots free of charge as many of you may want to build another houses”

According to the statement, Governor Yusuf explained his administration’s Urban renewal drive to meet global standard of a mega city. He stressed
plan to set an infrastructure performance bar at high level to meet the status of most populous city in Nigeria.

The Governor recalled the multi-layer critical infrastructural project at Tal’udu along side the Underpass Bridge at Kofar Dan’Agundi, both in Municipal and Gwale local government areas were flag off in 2024 to enhance free flow of vehicular movements.

Besides, the Governor posited that capital project costing about N30 billion were intended to achieve multiple purposes of urban beautification, decongestion of traffic and urban renewal.

Earlier, Chairman of the Community Association, Alhaji Abba Aminu Imam expressed delight over government acceleration of development as spread across the state.

The leader of the community however appealed to government to facilitate the settlement plan of members of the community whose properties were affected by the ongoing construction.

Meanwhile, Government has constituted an adhoc committee to revisit the ongoing settlement and compensation plan for the Tal’udu community.

The APC Christian Forum has call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene over their neglect by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the state.

The Forum made the call in a statement signed by it Chairman Emmanuel Agbakoba and Secretary Benjamin Aman.

The statement added that those President Tinubu assigned with the responsibility of distributing palliatives in the state had neglected not only the Christian APC Forum but the Christian community in general.

The forum called on the National Chairman of the party Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, State Chairman Abdullahi Abbas to look into their concern over the neglect of not only the APC members but the Christian community in general.

“We voted for APC at all level, we did same in Kano but what worried us much is our neglect by some leaders on everything that comes which party faithful will benefit.

The recent is the Christmas Palliatives, the President had sent it to every Christian community across the 35 states without Kano.

The economy is not stable, we are facing the hardship but it is unfortunate that even during the palliative distribution, nobody is recognising the Christian Community and now it is Christmas but none of us has come across anything that will ease the hardship for us to celebrate Christmas.

We are calling on the President and the National Chairman of our party to intervene and give us the same recognition as every state of the federation.

The neglect is too much and we need an urgent action on the this matter”. The statement said