The Abia Disability Commission says it will work to ensure that small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) with disabilities in the state get access to grants to support their businesses.

The state commission chairman, David Anyaele, made the promise on Thursday during a town hall meeting with PWDs in Ohafia Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Mr Anyaele said that the commission realised that many SMEs in the LGA lacked access to financial support.

The chairman, who doubles as special assistant to the governor on disability matters, reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring PWDs’ access to such resources meant for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“Governor Alex Otti’s administration is particular about the quality of life and general well-being of PWDs in the state,“ he said.

The state government recently launched a ₦10 billion grant to support SMEs in the state.

The initiative is part of Mr Otti’s broader economic revitalisation agenda aimed at fostering inclusive development and empowering citizens across all sectors.

Mr Anyaele, after listening to the peculiar challenges of the PWDs in the LGA, urged them to lead the awareness campaign against their discrimination.

He admonished them to be strong and courageous, even in the face of stigmatisation from the public.

Mr Anyaele said that the purpose of the interaction was to see, hear and understand their peculiarities in order to know the way the commission could prioritise their needs in its activities and programmes.

“Nobody will do it for us. We are the ones to do it for ourselves, and we can only do that if we are knowledgeable about disability issues.

“The governor has shown commitment to supporting PWDs, to the extent that he ensured the establishment of a zonal office of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities in Abia,” he said.

In a remark, the Ohafia LGA chairman, Eleanya Kalu, who expressed excitement with the quality of the interaction, said that the council was committed to supporting PWDs’ wellbeing.

“We have taken note of your requests, and we will deal with them because we should treat you equally as any other person in this LGA,” he said.

Earlier, the different disability clusters in the LGA, including the hearing impaired, the blind, and the physically disabled, shared their peculiar needs and challenges.

The commission held similar meetings in six LGAs and planned to visit the remaining 16 others at other times.

(NAN)