Kano state disabled empowerment strategy: Governor Shekarau should note this
This letter is specifically intended to ask some relatively simple questions — simple, albeit, pertinent questions — in reference to the Kano state government’s just concluded Disabled Empowerment Programme through which was presumed that disabled people would be provided with certain working materials and loans in order to encourage self reliance at the expense of aimless beggers and hence to further integrate the disabled into the mainstream society. For records purpose Kano state government had released a hefty sum — the biggest ever in the interest of the disabled in the history of Kano state to the tune of nine million Naira, to the State Relief and Rehabilitation Agency for that purpose.
It is however, hoped that, after reading this letter the governor would ponder. He should also realize that whatever is said here may not necessarily be an allegation but an exposition of fact. These facts are not merely extracted with prejudice in mind but with an explorative longing for the governor to arise and check. After all no government ever in history had existed and ended up without negative elements that stir up unwanted bubbles. These elements take advantage of a seemingly dispensable issue in order to satisfy their whims and caprices. But the issue of the disabled is definitely not a dispensable issue. It is a trust from Allah (SWT) as well as from the generality of Kano state citizens and that such a trust should be regarded and treated with equity and justice. And as citizens of Kano state with franchise rights the authorities responsible with the issue owe us an explanation in the light. of the kind of items we were given.
His Excellency may wish to know that the disabled people are aware of his well intentions. But are not happy with the way and manner such an issue was dispensed with. No effort had been undertaken to consult extensively with the leadership of the disabled, which comprise of leaders of all four disabled categories, in order to have their input on what would best suit their members. Instead, what we witnessed was a sort of imposition of vocation in which they were trsined had been undertaken which resulted in wrong people. Even if it may seem plausible that people could learn to adapt, how would one expect a man of 60 years with a family and has been a petty trader to abandon his business and go back to the basics in order to learn new trade?
The media hype surrounding this initiative didn’t do us well. If a group of five is given five tailoring machines and some of the tailoring accessories and they are all not tailors, how would one expect them to rely on themselves? These goodies were not given free of charge. They were given on loan and without an initial take-off capital to start the business and without the proper knowledge to navigate through the unfamiliar trade, how can anyone expect them to start to make gains out of the initiative?
His Excellency should realize that disabled people really adore him as an honest and honourable governor. Disabled are solidly him because we appreciate the government’s free education initiative for the disabled and hence the government’s willingness to employ some of us soon. Our concern is that this scheme was badly organised without our input, It boils down to an undervalue of the estimated potential benefits. It simply runs down to the fact that the whole thing is definitely a depressing tragedy of sorts that cannot be resolved until the principal actor acts.
Accordingly, our sincere expectation is that if the issue is all about loan, it should remain a basically financial initiative. There are enough disabled craftsmen awaiting encouragement. There are disabled women eager to take off on their own a vocation. If each and every successful beneficiary is given a chance to utilize what little loans each one or group acquired to invest in familiar territories, I believe with full supervision of the disabled leadership, something positive could have been accomplished. Otherwise how would a blacksmith who expects financial loans to improve his business would agree to jump into another less, attractive and almost unpromising trade, say shoemaking? How would you expect an orange seller who had lived on the trade and is still doing, agree to abandon it! You cannot buy a car and expects it to move without necessary fuel in its engine or could you,
Mr. governor, sir, as a Muslim leader who is familiar with Islamic concept of leadership responsibility and accountability in administration, you must have realized that a lot of questions are trailling not only this empowerment issue but also other questionable commitments under taken by the officer you placed in charge of the programme. The best time to answer these questions. Sir, if you really want to maintain your credibility as an honest, God-fearing and disciplined leader it would be impetinent to ask you investigate how such a huge amount of money was utilized and how come no capital was made available to us as take-off capital? The materials given to us are still in our hands. You can send investigators to find out. We were told that there was going to be no take-off capital.
I plead with you to investigate the office concerned on how it’s being run especially how it manages its expenditure. His Excellency may be interested to know that, as enumerators, after spending days in different localities around Kano and away from home we were only paid N2, 000 as our final payment in addition to the N1, 000 they gave us initially. There are other things. It is up to the government to investigate, otherwise we will silently pray to Allah, in His infinite wisdom to avenge for us this injustuce in the best way He deem proper.

Rabiu Ayuba A.
Immediate Past Secretary General
Kano state Association of Deaf.