Yenagoa, March 22: Bayelsa State government has assured of its readiness to empower people with disabilities through training programmes and award of micro-credit loans to ensure self-reliance.

Already, 20 physically disabled persons would be given loans soon to establish their businesses such as fashion designing, hair dressing and other semi-skilled jobs, while 80 persons are expected to commence a four-month computer training programme.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Matters Relating to Physically disabled Persons, Timi Ziriki, disclosed this in Yenagoa at the weekend.
He said the trainees would be given stipends at the end of their programme to procure desk top and laptop computers.

Ziriki said the state government is currently conducting a census of physically challenged persons to prepare a budget for them, stressing that the registration process of the computer training programme had already commenced.

The governor's aide pointed out that government's empowerment programme was responsible for eradication of begging and emphasis on the educational advancement of physically disabled persons in the state.

"State government's empowerment programme towards physically disabled persons is unprecedented in the history of the state. The only requirements needed from beneficiaries are commitment and proper utilisation of funds and skills.

"We have never had it so good in the state. The state governor has never reneged on his promises to the physically persons and we commend him for that."

Source: http://allafrica.com