Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has promised to appoint a person with disability into his cabinet so that people with special needs and students of Special Schools will be given due attention in the state.
Mr Oyebanji said the appointee would be someone with the requisite knowledge in special education and who has a genuine passion for the welfare and well-being of the physically challenged.
According to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Olayinka Oyebode, on Sunday, the governor said the appointment is to give physically challenged people a voice in government and help redress their neglect.
Mr Oyebanji spoke on Saturday when he made a surprise visit to the State Special School for the Blind in Ikere Ekiti.
He said people living with disability are special to his administration and that his government would work hard to bring out the best in them.
Mr Oyebanji, who was conducted round the school for an on-the-spot- assessment of facilities by the principal, Amogbonjaye Felicia, said he would give the school a facelift to make its environment more friendly, accommodating and conducive for learning.
The governor, who was accompanied to the school by the Secretary to Ekiti State Government, Habibat Adubiaro, Head of Service, Bamidele Agbede, Mr Oyebode, and other top government officials, appealed to the well-to-do in the society to come to the aid of people living with disabilities.
He said individuals could adopt some of the special students or volunteer to fix facilities in their homes and schools to complement the government’s efforts.
The governor had earlier appealed to his friends on his birthday last year to make contributions on the occasion to the three special schools in the state.
Mr Oyebanji said he was happy that the donations yielded a good result as the proceeds from the birthday were used to renovate the school’s hostel.
Governor Oyebanji addressed the students after assessing the facilities at the school, urging them to see themselves as specially created by God for a purpose, adding that they are as precious to God as other children and should not feel inferior to anyone.
