CEO of Divine Chris Ken Creativity and Founder, Hope Builders for Physically Challenged Foundation, Mrs. Christiana Kehinde Akinrinmade has called on the Nigerian govement to take the issues of citizens living with disabilities with great concern as cost of living gets unbearable.
Akinrinmade talking to the press in Lagos as the country marks her 63rd anniversary, said, “The economy is now bitting harder more than what it used to be and People With Disabilities (PWDs) are no longer finding it funny”, she said, asking the government to come to the rescue of the special Nigerians for them to be truly independent.
“The Nigerian government and well meaning Nigerians should not keep on with the eye service that we are special citizens but should provide enabling environment for us to thrive,” she said.
Continuing, Akinrinmade said, “We don’t need sympathy of any form but empathy. We are well able to turn our fortune positively and even help Nigeria like many of us have been contributing to the economy.
“We want to do more and that is why the government should provide enabling environment in terms of grants for those of us in the productive sector and scholarships for those of us in schools,” she said.
She however appreciated the efforts of the government in caring for PWDs in Nigeria.
“I am also using this opportunity to thank the government at all levels and their agencies for the assistance so far. We know the government is also going through hard times but we need them to put us on priority list as we can’t struggle with others,” she pleaded.
Akinrinmade’s NGO has empowered scores of PWDs over the years and now urging people living with disabilities to take advantage of all opportunities around them in terms of training opportunities in order to increase their chances in the society.