Executive Assistant On Disability Matters, Ayo Adekanmbi Speaks
…Plus His Agenda
When the executive governor of Oyo State Engr. Seyi Makinde promised to incorporate people with disabilities in the state into his government in order to make life better for them, then he meant it.
Makinde in his inaugural speech said, “we spoke with people living with disabilities; successive governments have not paid adequate attention to our people who live with disabilities. We talked about the challenges and neglect they face; the lack of access to healthcare, education, work opportunities and stigmatisation. To people living with disabilities in our state, I say, your relief has come. We will establish a Commission for People Living with Disabilities. The mandate of this parastatal will be to improve the lives of people living with disabilities.
In addition, we will develop an institutional framework for enforcing compliance with our equal opportunity principle. We will also encourage the private sector to hire persons with disabilities by offering them tax incentives.”
And true to his word, the first move Gov Makinde made towards achieving that goal was to appoint Barr. Ayodele Adekanmbi as the Executive Assistant on Disability Matters. The appointment was described by many as a welcome development; to them, it was putting the round peg in a round hole.
Those who know Adekanmbi’s track records and what he is capable of doing when it comes to disability matters couldn’t but praised Gov Seyi Makinde for his decision.
Adekanmbi, a lawyer and T.V host, has served in the same capacity under the former Governor Adebayo Alao Akala. He is the brain behind a popular T.V program, ‘Beyond The Limit’ and C.E.O Dissability Solution.
Few months down the lane, however, Adekanmbi has come up with a brilliant master plan on how to achieve unprecedented results in uplifting people with disabilities in Oyo State, in tandem with Gov Makinde’s plans for his constituency.
Describing Makinde as a man of honour and integrity who will never renege on his promises not only to those living with disabilities but the people of Oyo State generally, Adekanmbi reveals that he is going to look into key areas which would bring the desired results.
“I can tell you categorically that Engr. Seyi is a man of his words. He has always been like that, and that has evidently shown in his private life, as a successful businessman before coming into power. He is not the type that changes what he has said or renege on promises made. He has great plans for my people, I mean people living with disabilities in Oyo State, and I am sure he will deliver. He is an achiever, his records as an Engr, a businessman, private man and a philanthropist speak volume,” Adekanmbi said.
On his experience so far and plans as the Executive Assistant on Disability Matters to the governor, Adekanmbi has this to say, “the experience is been wonderful. Of course there have been challenges in the area of people’s attitude towards physically challenged persons and all, but we will overcome that phase too.”
“Though we are new here but we came in prepared. We are getting used to the workings of the system and by the time we start executing our programs, I am sure my people as well as the whole of Oyo State would be better for it. Because when people living with disabilities are taken care of, it takes burden off the society. These are people with talents and ready to work if given the opportunity.
So, in a bid to complement the efforts of our amiable governor, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, in ensuring life of equal opportunities for every individual, we will create a disability-friendly society. Ensuring speedy passage of the Equal Opportunities Bill including the establishment of the Oyo State Disability Commission to oversee disability matters
We will be looking into a productive community of persons with disabilities, addressing the problem of unemployment through holistic empowerment of persons with disabilities towards engaging them in productive and income generating activities. It is notable that, beyond the employment of PWD in the civil service provision of microcredit for them have not proven to be successful and truly impactful in alleviating poverty among them. A more comprehensive approach is expected to be devised to address this problem. These include: Establishment of Technology Incubation Centre for PWD. The beneficiaries will be guided through a process involving
.Needs assessment and capacity assessment of potential beneficiaries
.Training the beneficiaries to develop fund-able business plans
.Provision of startup capital for starting and running their businesses
.Provision of materials and equipment for the businesses
.Mentoring of the beneficiaries by a team of industry experts
.Facilitating linkages between the beneficiaries and markets/customers for their products.
.The Owode Housing Estate Extension along Ibadan-Abeokuta Road, which has been abandoned since the era of Ex-Gov Rashidi Ladoja is being proposed as site for the Technology Incubation Centre.
.Engagement of PWD along the agricultural value chain through value addition, that is, from Crop/Animal farming to Processing to Packaging to Marketing of the products.
The initiative will be sited at various farm settlements in the state and other stretches of land in the state.”
To show that Adekanmbi is really prepared for the task ahead, he went a bit further by explaining how his plans and projects will be funded.
“Funding for the above initiatives will be sourced through engagement of development partners (UNICEF, UNDP, UK Aid, etcetera) and private sector and financial institutions by the Government in Counterpart Funding arrangements.
We are also going to promote disability-friendly education, towards ensuring access to quality education for children with disabilities, provision of educational aid equipment for the blind as well as Braille books, provision of educational aid equipment for the deaf as well as engagement of qualified sign language teachers.
Making schools accessible for the physically challenged children on wheelchair through provision of ramps in school premises among many other things on our agenda.”
