By Zarumi Mashood

People with disabilities on Wednesday stormed the Kwara State House of Assembly, protesting what they described as marginalization and lack of representation in the state’s cabinet.
The physically-challenged, under the aegis of Disables Association, in their large numbers, who bore placards with various inscriptions, also protested the recent arraignment of eight of their members by the state government over street begging.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards include “We are tired of begging on the street, give us our own SA on disabilities,” “Provide employment for people living with disabilities in Kwara State”; Just see what we are capable of doing,” “People with disabilities of Kwara State want to go to schools e.g. primary, secondary, college and university, but no fund”.
Others were “Imprisonment of beggars in Kwara may not be eradicated except the needful is done by our government”. “People with disabilities are normal people, treat us with dignity”.
The associations, in a handbill distributed at the scene of the protest, said people with disabilities have been contributing immensely to the economic, social, sports and political development of the state.
They attributed their predicaments to lack of employment opportunities and called on the government to appoint a Special Adviser on people with disabilities who will not only make findings concerning the problems facing them but provide necessary solutions to them.
The disabled, who condemned arraignment of eight beggars in Ilorin recently, asked government to involve them in decision making so that their voices could be heard.
Deputy National President, Nigeria Association of the Blind, Mr. Sunday Adeshina, told lawmakers that the physically-challenged embarked on the peaceful protest to show their grievances on what he described as neglect of the government.
Adeshina said several letters had been written by the association to government, but there was no response despite, recalling how the association mobilized the disabled to vote during the last general elections.
Also speaking, the Chairman Disabilities Group in Politics, Teslim Balogun, said their protest was to let the government know that there are disabled people in this state, adding that for government not to listen to minority request was biased.
The Speaker, Barrister Rasak Atunwa alongside other legislators who addressed the protesters, said it was sad that people with disabilities had to protest before their voices could be heard.
He said people with special needs are part of the society and should not be neglected, assuring that they would be completely integrated.
Atunwa assured them of the legislature’s support in collaboration with the governor with a view to   addressing their grievances.
According to him “I’m sad that you have to come to this; you have to protest, march to the Assembly and thereafter the Government House. I believe firmly that people with special needs are part of the society. They should not be neglected. Indeed we owe a duty to take special care of the people with special needs. But I’m sad that you have to protest for your voice to be heard”.
He promised to convey their messages to the governor so that their needs would be addressed.