The National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) has on Saturday 4th April, 2020 joined the Government of Sierra Leone through National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) to service 10,000 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in all the major cities across the country.
The process was to ensure that PWDs who mostly find it difficult to fend for themselves and depend on helping hands from the public are catered for during the three days nationwide lockdown as declared by the President of Sierra Leone Brgd. Rtd. Julius Maada Bio in the fight against the Coronavirus Disease (covid19).
The presidential Largesse will ensure that each of the targeted 10,000, PWDs is entitled to Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Leones (Le 250,000), 25kg bag of rice, one cake of soap and Veronica buckets which will be placed in strategic locations for continuous hand washing measure.
Saa Kortequee, NCPD’s Executive Secretary said the Commission was pleased with government’s intervention during the cause of the lockdown and stressed that the president cares for persons with disabilities.
He encouraged PWDs to stay at home and follow all the precautionary measures that will help to prevent COVID-19.
The Commissioner of NaCSA Abu Kokofelay said the government is more serious about PWDs and that it is key in the president’s heart in his drive to invest in Human cardinal capital for development in the country.
The NaCSA boss also admonished PWDs at Bus Station, Cotton Tree and Walpole Street in Freetown to use the rice and money judiciously as there are bigger plans for the disabled; adding that “this is the same message we are sending to all the beneficiaries across the country”.
He said the exercise comprised senior and junior staff of NaCSA, Anti-Corruption Commission, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and the Ministry of Social Welfare are part of the process and are deployed in various district Head Quarter towns to ensure transparency, accountability, efficiency and inclusivity.
He however stated that NaCSA and all the other partners will ensure that the process is complete but if for some unforeseen circumstances they are unable to complete the process; “we will resume after the lockdown and service the targeted beneficiaries but we will do our best to complete it today” he concluded.
Some of the beneficiaries thanked the government and president for the gesture and promised to use the gift for its intended purpose and as beneficiaries, they will adhere to all the precautionary measures that have been put in place to prevent COVID-19.
NCPD OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UNIT
