…Diri assures members of protection, fairness, equity
ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, Bayelsa State chapter, on Friday went on the rampage over the alleged discrimination and suspension of its member by the management of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Ammasoma.
The group, in their large numbers, stormed the Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa, to ventilate their grievances over the alleged ill-treatment meted out to their member, one Mr Numuworimi Yeitaribo, by the school authorities.
The state Chairman of JNAPWD, Mr Ikilowei Eric, said they were in Government House to present a protest letter over what he described as the NDU’s “inhuman, wicked and misguided action.”
Eric said the criterion used in selecting the new Bursar of the university did not only deprive Yeitaribo, who until his suspension was the Deputy Bursar, but also contravened the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018.
He appealed to Governor Douye Diri to prevail on the management of the NDU to lift Yeitaribo’s suspension and conduct a fresh independent interview for the position of the new Bursar, among other requests.
Speaking with the aggrieved JNAPWD members, Governor Diri assured them of his administration’s commitment to giving them a sense of belonging in the government’s welfare and development agenda.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, maintained that his administration would continue to exude love and treat all law-abiding citizens with dignity and respect for their fundamental human rights.
According to him, the present administration will do everything within the ambit of the law to protect the rights and privileges of physically challenged persons in the state.
He advised them to always follow due process by channeling their complaints for government to act on, rather than take laws into their hands by staging demonstrations at the slightest provocation.
Addressing the issue of alleged discrimination by the management of the NDU against their colleague, Mr Numuworimi Yeitaribo, in the recruitment of a new Bursar, Diri promised to look into the matter dispassionately.
The governor said he would also hear from the management of the institution to enable the government to take an informed decision to resolve the disagreement.
He also promised to address the alleged suspension of salaries of two of their members by the Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area and the plea to relocate members whose business locations were affected by the ongoing demolition of illegal structures in Yenagoa.
He said: “This government believes so much injustice and equity and the need to be fair to every law-abiding member of society. So, I want to assure you that government is going to look into all the issues you have raised in your protest letter.
“But we are going to hear from the management of NDU as well because if you hear from only one side and take a decision, you are likely to make mistakes. We don’t want to make such mistakes so we will ask them what actually happened.
“Whether the man in question did other things, we need to know. So, you don’t have to protest about it because we going to handle the matter objectively.
“On the issue of how business posts being affected by the ongoing demolition and request to relocate, the government will set up a committee to look into it. Your mother, the Commissioner for Women, Children Affairs and Social Development as well as the Environment Commissioner will be part of it.
“You don’t have to come out for demonstration over every issue without first of all channeling your complaints to the government. If every person or group that has issues with government protests that way, you will not even find any space close to this place.
“Let me, therefore, caution you not to take laws into your hands. You must know that just as you have the right to swing your hands, another person also has the right to defend his nose or eyes from your hands.”