On Thursday, the Ebonyi State branch of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD) held a peaceful rally in Abakaliki to push for better welfare and political representation. The demonstrators urged the state administration to provide monthly financial aid and finalize the signing of the Disability Bill that recently cleared the House of Assembly.
A major point of contention was a reported eviction notice targeting their long-standing secretariat. The group identified Commissioner for Health Dr. Moses Ekuma and Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Barrister Felicia Nwamkpuma as those behind the threat to remove them from a building occupied for over a decade. Association Chairman Comrade Friday Nwovu emphasized that this decision was made without any prior discussion, calling for open dialogue with state officials instead.
Addressing the crowd, Nwovu requested that Governor Francis Nwifuru facilitate the inclusion of disabled citizens in government appointments and empowerment initiatives. Despite these frustrations, the association reaffirmed its backing of the Nwifuru administration.
In response, Chief of Staff Professor Emmanuel Echiegu clarified that the governor has already approved the Disability Bill and will finalize it shortly. He also highlighted that more than 300 individuals have been registered for free medical care through the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency. Echiegu promised that the government intends to resolve the office space concerns and will arrange a meeting between leadership and the relevant commissioners to address their broader grievances.
