From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Rotary Club of Jos Central, District 9125, has donated wheelchairs to polio survivors in Plateau to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
The President of the Club, Rotn Samuel Edeh, who presented the wheelchairs to a newly-married woman and nine others, said the gesture was geared towards making life comfortable for the polio survivors.
‘Rotary has always been in the fight against Polio and, to God be the glory, polio was defeated recently in Nigeria, even though there are other parts of the world where we still have Polio,’ he stated.
‘Also, [with] the 3rd of December [being] the International Day of People with Disabilities, we in Rotary Club of Jos Central decided to find a way of reaching out to disabled persons.
‘We think there is no better way of doing it than to recognise and appreciate those that were affected by Polio. We got some persons from Jos North and give them wheelchairs to make life a little easier for them.’
Plateau State representative of UNICEF Agatha Martin Dapel expressed gratitude over the donation and said it has lifted so many lives.
‘I am delighted because the donation has lifted some lives and I believe it will continue if others take a cue from Rotary Clubs. My prayer is that many bodies will come to assist these vulnerable persons.
‘We are happy that Nigeria has been declared Polio-free and we need to sustain it for there to be no more Polio in Nigeria and Plateau State.’
The representative of the World Head Organisation (WHO) State Plateau State, Pharm Wadzingi William, said fighting Polio is a collective struggle and expressed joy that the effort liberated Nigeria from the scourge.
He admonished Rotarians to continue to render selfless services to humanity and assured that their contribution will not go unrewarded.
Past District Governor, Sonni Joe-Agba said the three places that can positively change human to contribute to humanity is a visit to the accident unit in the hospital, mortuary and the church.
He urged the beneficiaries not to use the wheelchairs to beg but they should use it to carry out legitimate business.
A 23-year-old Asiya Abubakar, who got married 4 days before she was handed over the wheelchair, expressed gratitude to the Rotary Club and said the gesture will aid her movement.
She noted that the illness started with headache, fever and graduated into rheumatism which later paralyzed her lower limbs.