Disabled people appeal to Ellen

Members of the disabled community in Liberia have advanced several appeals to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at a general assembly held in Sinkor, suburb of Monrovia, seeking clear and direct budgetary appropriation for the National Disabled Union, among others.

Appealing to President Sirleaf yesterday at the commencement of the Disabled Union’s Annual General Assembly held at the S. Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church in Sinkor, Rev. Fallah Boimah, Sr. said, funding continues to be a major challenge for the union.

The head of the disabled union said subsidy provided by government cannot underwrite rental and operational cost of the organization, describing the financial situation facing them as “precarious.”

He suggested that just as there is a clear budgetary line for the Federation of Liberia Youth or FLY within the budget of the line ministry, same should be the case with the budget of the National Commission on the Disabled because the organization for the disabled here was potent enough to discharge its duties.

Having earlier commended the Sirleaf-led government for its recognition and support to the disabled community, Rev. Boima urged that more steps be taken in terms of inclusion of persons with disability, capacity development and the creation of opportunities for the organization to be strong and self-sufficient.

In concluding, he pleaded with President Sirleaf to appoint to the National Commission on Disabled, three persons from the disabled organization whose names he said were since 2014 sent to the office of Vice President Joseph Boakai for nomination to the commission for appointment.

By Winston W. Parley

In response to the appeals, President Sirleaf, who attended the assembly,  assured the National Union of the Disabled Organization that she would look into the issues they placed before her when she gets back [to office].

The Liberian leader pledged her government’s unbending determination to work with the Disabled Organization to achieve goals that will come out of the general assembly.

President Sirleaf says her administration remains strong to adopt open government that fosters mainstreaming of persons with disabilities to the political and development agenda of the country.

She told the disabled community that her leadership recognizes that “we are one people” entitled to equal rights and opportunities, pledging further that her administration will continue to support them.